Cruising in July

Back on Hunters Moon after another emotional and hot week back home.

It is a long drive up to Overwater Marina and although we share the driving we both feel the effects the next day.

Jenny's first crop

Look what a swan did to this one!

Must have found them as tasty as we do

We had to be fairly with it on Thursday morning because Hunters Moon was due for her BSS examination. This is a bit like an MOT for narrowboats. After a thorough inspection Martyn,  the inspector found 4 advisory points that he wanted corrected before he would issue our certificate.  The Scheme has certainly been tightened up or, Martyn was a stickler on an inspector!  At least Sid has a few small jobs to sort out now. And, at the time of this post, a few days on, two of the faults have already been rectified!

The next day we were due to get the red car to Fenny Compton Marina, to await our return at the end of the month. We had once again booked the Co Wheels car from Overwater. We picked it up and Sid drove the hybrid Toyota Yaris and Jenny stuck to the familiar Citreon. It was a slow and very busy journey, which we anticipated with it being a Friday but arrived back at Overwater nearly 7 hours later having stopped at Warwick Services for lunch, exhausted but pleased to have the Citreon in place ready for the end of this part of our cruising season.

We set off from Overwater on a bright and breezy Saturday morning . Just 30 minutes along the Shropshire Union Canal, heading north, we came across a beautiful mooring. So, still feeling the effects of an emotional week and a lot of driving we moored, with a little bit of distraction by way of a stray bullock on the towpath. An interesting half hour or so followed as brave fellow boaters tried to herd the bewildered bullock to safety.  Eventually the farmer arrived with a large stick and managed to steer the bullock back from whence it came.

Cattle on the Cut

Little did we know that we would still be on that same delightful mooring until Monday morning. Sid used the time to do two of the four rectifications.  The weather was beautiful do Jenny took advantage of it by sitting around a great deal and busying herself with this and that!  We certainly made the most of this much needed pause by taking breakfast  and lunch al fresco and bbqs on the picnic tables and bbq stands provided by the Shropshire Union Canal Society.

Our kitchen/diner

The view from our garden!

Sunset over our beautiful mooring

It rained on Monday and rained and rained!  We chugged along to Nantwich and did the  necessary shopping, our provisions were getting low having had our two days stay at Coole Pilate, and also to try a seek out a particular electrical socket that was needed for another of the inspection rectification.  Unfortunately we had no luck with that. A short journey , in the rain, out of Nantwich bought us to a pleasant mooring by Hurleston Junction. Being wet and chilly by this time we lit the stove!  Yes, July 10 and we needed a fire!!  We did see on the television that Wimbledon was bathed in hot sunshine- down south!

Approaching Nantwich Aquaduct in the rain

Tuesday dawned overcast but the forecast rain was absent so we move onto Bar bridge Junction where we moved onto the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union. Shortly before the first lock it started to rain again and this set in for the day.  A long queue waited for us at  Cholmondeston Lock. Sid took advantage of this to nip to Venetian Marina in search of his socket, with no luck again.

Waiting in the rain outside Aquaduct Marina

We chugged on in the rain, calling in at Aqueduct Marina, once more in search of the ellusive socket and once more with no luck.

At last, moored for the afternoon and evening and still the rain fell.  So, another fire to dry us out and cheer us up. On checking for a tv signal we noticed the sun was still shining at Wimbledon for the tennis.

At least our boating friends, Sara and Pete should be having some great weather for their trip down the Oxford towards the Thames.