Monday 25 March 2013

Our view of Braunston will have changed

This is Braunston as we approached it in 2009.


Nothing wrong with that, you might say, but on top of the boat is my old bicycle. Well, that particular velocipede is now scrapped. Future cruises shouldn't have the view enhanced obscured by a bike: my new folding two-wheeler, when I'm not lock wheeling, will be inside or on the well deck out of the way.

I was sorry to read that Sarah and Jim of Chertsey and Bakewell have decided that the current cold and windy weather is not conducive to fun boating, and have abandoned their plan to go to Ellesmere Port for the Easter gathering of old boat(er)s.

I'm beginning to wonder whether our (my) plan for an attempt on the Erewash Canal might not be a little ambitious too. Do I really want to stand/sit at the tiller for seven hours a day for a fortnight getting various parts of my anatomy frozen off?

6 comments:

Neil Corbett said...

Naah go for it. I bet your boat is somewhat warmer throughout than Chertsey, and you can take it in turns at the tiller if its really cold. However the weather is due for a change soon, or so they say.

And remember the old adage "There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes"

Anonymous said...

I cruised on Saturday in the blizzards, wearing plenty of the right clothes but I can confirm that, despite this, the weather was definitely BAD!

But Friday and Sunday were good days, despite the cold!

We cruised for 6 hours in the blizzards, swapping helmsman every hour or so - wouldn't have wanted to cruise for one minute longer!

Sue, nb Indigo Dream

Ian and Karen said...

Oh go for it! It is cold, but if you take turns and lots of hot drinks and snacks, it'll be alright. We're managing to keep going in this fashion, fighting over whose turn to do the locks, as that's the best way to keep warm!

Halfie said...

Neil, Sue, Ian and Karen, yes, perhaps I had a momentary aberration back there. Not sure about the taking turns bit - I know where Jan would rather be! Fortunately I always bag the working of locks - Jan will just have to bear the tiller work for some of the time!

Anonymous said...

As our tiller has the wonderful electric hand-warmers I ALWAYS volunteer to helm in the cold!

Sue, nb Indigo Dream

Vallypee said...

Wow, a tiller with heaters. That sounds amazing. I think I'll get a heated steering wheel...oh, no, the historic barge police won't allow that...:-) Actually, I'm not joking.