We set off in great spirits - well we did once we'd pushed off from shore - me and the bow-thruster doing our best to get us moving off the side, and the day was lovely. We saw two brimstone butterflies, the first ones we've seen, and John saw his second swallow. The wind was a bit vicious but all was well with our world.
As we approached the first lock, John very nicely asked me if I was OK with the boat, and my comment was yes, if I need you just come running and help me rather than everyone else on the canal, so that was fine.
We actually had several of the locks in our favour or else boats coming out, so that was great, but the wind was horrific. I managed most of them all right but one long pound in the middle got the better of me. John had gone on to open the gates and I was trying to go slowly but in a wind you have to give it some welly, to keep your steerage. There was a bridge in the middle and I thought it would give me some protection while I was waiting for the gates, but it turned out to have it's own microsystem. I'd been fighting to keep the boat towards the right with the wind determined to send us left and all of a sudden it turned and pushed me right over to the right. Consequence: some paint rubbed off the handrail near the back of the boat. I felt awful as everything had been going so well. To be fair, John was brilliant and likened it to his knock in a tunnel, and I managed everything else well.
Just as I was down making a drink, I sent a facebook message saying how sunny it was. As I got back up on the stern the heavens opened. It continued to rain heavily for about 30 minutes, enough to really cheer us up, and then it stopped again. Luckily it stayed dry until we moored but it's been raining on and off ever since.
Whilst cruising into one of the locks, I noticed a beautiful bank of primroses, someone had decided that it would be enhanced by the addition of poo bags and empty beer cans. Delightful. Mother nature does her best and then humans go and mess it up.
Here's an unusual one of me for a change! I was just about to move out of a lock. Slightly windswept, sunglasses were needed because the wind was blowing dust everywhere. Even Paddy looks different as his fringe is blowing back rather than over his face.
This was John's little mistake today! He dropped the lock key whilst climbing across the lock gates (I didn't say I told you so - feel very pleased with myself) and so had to get his magnet out - he found it in a matter of moments but I was just glad that it was the key and not him - it's going to happen one day and I hate him doing it but he's determined to do it his way so there you go......
We are moored at Hartshill, which is a couple of miles north of Nuneaton. We should get past Hawkesbury Junction tomorrow and get onto the Coventry arm, which will be new territory. Mind you we both feel that dementia is well set in as we can't remember any of this journey. You'd think that at least one of the locks would strike something in our memory but no, not a glimmer. Oh dear. John says eventually we'll be able to cruise up and down the same few miles of canal and experience it all as something new - what a worrying thought!
The 'other' boat, that shall not be named, must have been the one that went past us early this morning before we got up, as it was moored just down from us as we came through to the mooring, Then what happened? Yes... they went past us later on. Hopefully they'll be turning off at Hawkesbury so that they get well ahead of us. She gave me a bit of a 'sucking lemons' smile as they went past.....don't suppose they read the blog! Opps!
Think the rain has stopped again - John says that we're getting the April showers and the March winds at the same time - hopefully tomorrow will be better? :-)
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