A small health delayed anniversary cruise

We were due away on Friday to next Wednesday, however a hearing issue for me and a virus picked up by Rachel saw  us delayed. Last night my hearing came back …. I’d been almost deaf for the last four days  which didn’t encourage me to be out and about on the boat. Rachel was showing signs of fighting off the virus so we had three  options…. Visit friends down south, go to Wales or plan A go to the boat which we did. 

There is always some trepidation on returning to the boat that’s sat patiently waiting since the Ashby cruise. There have been some deep prolonged frosts that are the enemy of unheated spaces such as boats. I was outside sorting the gas cylinders when Rachel primed the water system and thankfully it pressurised and stayed pressurised .

I’d made up a  small base for the gas cylinders to sit on… made of wood with four plastic ‘ door stop ‘ feet to prevent the gas cylinders vibrating metal on metal wearing and removing my newly painted gas locker. Let’s see how that lasts. 

I checked the engine oil and lubed the moving bits and on the second key turn the donk did its thing. I checked the oil pump was working by opening the bypass screw that allows the pumped oil into a sight glass … yep all good. We then let the engine warm up for a good hour and a half  with no load while I got more gas ….I couldn’t quite believe it when I was asked for £52.50 for 13kg of gas ffs. When we had our share boat it was about £7.50 a bottle. I was told they were down to their last two bottles last Friday as there is still a ( dubious) shortage. Rachel was making the bed and vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom. Teamwork at its best. I got a bit ratty getting coal out of the very badly overcrowded forcabin. I need to keep reminding myself to be in the moment and not let things get to me …I considered myself told off by myself.

Then we slowly reversed out and turned out of the marina trying not to upset the lone fisherman who had set up right at the entrance to the marina. I wish I hadn’t bothered as he really really didn’t want to talk to me….but I made him! 

We didn’t really have a destination in mind but it was 3.30pm when we left and any warmth was disappearing quickly. Rachel did a faultless turn onto the Staffs and Worcester canal. We went south on the Trent and Mersey in the autumn and will be heading north on the same canal when we leave the marina in April so this direction made sense. 

It was a lovely late winter cruise and we decided to moor up at Tixell wide as there were only 3 boats and we fancied the view. We were rewarded with a lovely sunset. The mooring nearly went badly wrongs as we’d left the boat in reverse - it doesn’t normally stay in reverse on the push pull lever but it did today and while I was trying to put the rope in the fairlead at the bow the boat pulling backwards I got my finger between the rope and fairlead and was very close to trapping and breaking my finger…out of practice for sure! 

Regardless we are bathed and fed ( a nice traybake of Halloumi and seasonal organic veg) with a bit of wine and the fire has got the boat lovely and warm with the aid of the oven. 

Tomorrow we are letting nature direct us to either more cruising or a walk onto Cannock Chase. We can wind on the wide or cruise to a winding hole just over the Aquaduct….. 

Some photos that tell the story of the beauty of this mooring better than my words.