Friday 12 February 2016

Who says shiny boats only cruise in the summer ?

Our shiny boat was the only boat moving between Taft bridge (69) and Fradley Junction today. Well I am sure there were others moving (I know of one) but between 11am and 4pm we cruised without passing another moving boat. So confident was I I even motored on though the narrows at Armitage without sending my crew mate ahead. .

You have all  missed some great cruising weather, not the sunniest - well it did appear about 3pm but just great to have the canals to myself ! Rugeley visitor moorings had filled up since we passed on Wednesday so some boats had shuffled around. I guess next week will be different as it is half term week?

Heading towards civilisation .... and the power station was working hard this morning.


Leaving behind Cannock Chase - shame


My power generation is a lot less 


The visitor moorings at Rugeley were full 


Proof another boat was moving today... My neighbour Mandy had moved Don't Panic from the woods to the marina for service then round the corner so to speak to be ready for blacking on Monday. 



And a sight you will not see now until the end of the year.....


Not a boat on the Fradley visitor moorings ! I spoke the the cafe owner while we were watering up and he confirmed it had been a quite day. Half term next week so pop over and try out his new furniture - it must have cost him a fortune ! 

This little fella was watching our technique at Junction lock.


When we were confident there were no other boats moving we spotted one coming up Hunts lock as we approached an empty Keepers lock, so we waited and let them pass through to choose their mooring for the night.


Having filled the tankI treated myself to a beer and a bath, it had been cold on the back  all day !


These two were waiting for their tea when I got back aboard....


So a nice little break, I have some news on my complaint I'll blog about next week, I am liking the way C&RT are dealing with it so far. 





8 comments:

Sue said...

It has been really, really quiet on the cut this month. In the last week I guess we have only had three boats past while on the move. I have never known it so quiet. When we arrived at Fazeley on Wednesday we were the only boat there until Thursday afternoon when the coal boat turned up and one other.

Les Biggs said...

I can't wait to get moving again. Just living on memories at the moment but all good things come to those that wait. Oh well best start another book.

Nev Wells said...

Les, I am sure it is just around the corner and there must be worse places to be held up. Looking forward to your burst of pics and posts when you get underway....

Nev Wells said...

I don't get it as the weather has been ok of late. Their loss I guess as like us you have enjoyed the canals all to yourself. It may be that where we are the reduction in hire fleets and the Trent being up shut the northbound traffic.

Naughty-Cal said...

It has been a long winter ashore for us. 3 months to be exact!

Can't wait to get back in the water. Just another couple of weeks to endure then we are back on the water again with our shiny boat.

Anonymous said...

We had Fradley moorings to ourselves last March. It was weird being the only ones there. Carol BV

Nev Wells said...

I bet you cannot wait.... I recall you are on the boat every weekend? We (I) have been tempting ourselves with something that can do tides and waves, it's what happens when you spend more time by the coast. I went to Littlehampton today for lunch - all part of the research !

Nev Wells said...

Hi Carol, I am sure the school holidays will always be busy when more boats venture out of the marinas, but what you experienced , certainly at Fradley may become more common as the hire fleets are gone now - or well depleted.