It didn't bode well first thing, when we came to Colwick lock after leaving quite early this morning and 4 boats were already waiting to ascend! This was to be the worse traveling day we have had in months, not just for the queues at every lock and the intense heat, but the amount of boat traffic moving in both directions.
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| Our departure from Rugeley at 8 30am |
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| Colwick lock |
Having waited the best part of 20 minutes to get onto the landing, I had a further 20 minute wait before the lock was ready for me to use. By now the day was hotting up and I was starting to wilt. At Hayward lock I was intrigued as to what these bods were doing in a small boat. Turns out they were doing a spot of surveying around the bridge 'ole but no idea why.
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| More boats turning up to use the lock |
With us needing deisel we had to call into Hayward Marina. At 89p a litre we felt it rather high so only took on 100 litres. I must say it's a doodle to get into and onto the deisel point especially as no wind hindered our progress today, although it can get very challenging at times if a gale is blowing..
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| Hayward Marina |
Today has been hot with hardly a breath of wind. As we travelled along, in the adjacent field we saw a sight not often seen. A man with tractor was turning his hay when a sudden gust of wind picked up the hay and proceeded to spin it round. Difficult to see in this photo but it was twisting around like a mini tornado.
With locks a few miles apart I thought I would make a banana cake. All went well until I tipped the mixing bowl holding the flour all over the work surface. After clearing up and starting again, I was just about to put the cake in the oven when I realised I hadn't lit it. Eventually a half decent cake emerged from the oven and then, as we were traveling with the Cakebreads (Icing) and the Foxes (Vixen), I thought a chocolate sponge cake would go down a treat for tomorrows tea break. So getting all the ingredients together I mixed the butter, sugar and eggs together and started to fold in the flour. Then disaster!! The whole thing slipped off the work surface and onto the floor. I couldn't believe it!! The mess it made all over the cupboard doors, kitchen mat and floor was horrendous. Took best part of 30 minutes to clean it up and worse, there was no cake to show for it. Looks like it will be my banana cake for tea instead. And that wasn't the end of my mishaps. After washing the mat I went to hang it in the well deck and knocked my tackle box off the side and onto the floor. The lid flew open spilling all and sundry in every direction. Thank goodness it wasn't my maggot box. Would hate to try and pick up the wrigglers crawling all over the place.
So after a day I would rather forget we have finally moored at Lime Kiln moorings. Every conceivable space on the Stone visitor moorings were taken. Must be over 50 boats moored there. No moorings to be had in the middle pounds, they were full, and our three boats only just managed to find spaces above Lime Kiln lock. We have estimated that nearly 100 boats are moored in the Stone area. We have never seen it as busy as it has been today. Stoke on Trent is our destination for tomorrow and I think a VERY early start is on the cards tomorrow.
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