23rd Jan 2007 – Tuesday, Cruising south on the Leicester Line.
It has turned very cold, temperatures dropping to zero by the evening. Our usual one hour central heating boost in the morning was extended to two hours today. Usually an hour's worth of Eberspacher warms the boat enough to get me out of bed to stoke the wood burner whilst heating enough water for two showers. Minus 4 outside was obviously reaching me through the sprayfoam insulation.
The clouds are coming in from the northeast and we have been warned to expect the white stuff sooner rather than later.

‘Exeter Steve’ called in on his way back south and brought stories of snow on the Pennines which seemed to confirm the worst.
Treated to a meal in the Lock Inn (thanks ol’ mate) we had the place almost to ourselves. Just two other tables in use and so the waitress service was understandably very good.

24th Jan
By morning we were covered by an inch or so of snow. Ice had formed in the boat basin but not enough to worry us so we hit the canal trail and headed south.

Climbing the Foxton flight was a doddle because our lock keeper stayed with us all the way to the top. An extra pair of hands is a great help when the gates are stiff and the walkways slippery.

Sadly we learnt that not all the recent British Waterways redundancies are limited to head office staff, our lockie was told he’ll be out on his ear in March.

Once on the summit we ploughed on through white speckled countryside which brought to mind our arrival in these parts 12 months ago. On that journey we travelled the opposite way in blizzards with freezing fingers, toes and noses while everyone else was battened down.

Gorse bushes are starting to flower, which seems earlier than previous years, snow drops have been spotted but there were surprisingly few trees down on the exposed hillsides.

Ice came and went as we cruised between avenues of trees. The sunshine was doing its best to break the ice sheet into plates and where it was thickest we carved a channel and left open waters for the kingfishers to patrol.

25th Jan
Some things don’t seem to have changed since we last cruised this way. It’s always a sad sight seeing a broken boat resting on the mud, filled with water.

But we were amazed to see two teams of walking towpath trimmers attacking the hedges and grass, what’s left of it. One couple were raking the ground after the mower had passed. Not heard of this even in summer when there was grass to be seen.

Fortunately for us the tree cutting squads had been out and there was plenty of spare fuel for the stove. We found one pile of oak so tantalising that we couldn’t pass it without checking it out but after several attempts at getting close to the bank we had to leave it for the dog walkers, the shallows had us beaten.

Finally arriving at Crick we were very surprised to find the chargeable winter tow path moorings outside the marina half empty. There wasn’t a 60 foot spot to be had before Christmas, so we were told. But despite the straight piling and ideal towpaths we made for the handful of ‘free’ 14 day moorings before the tunnel. Half in a cutting and overlooked by trees we endured muddy paths, bird lime and lousy TV and ‘phone reception. But it was free and close to the services.

Talking of which, there’s a new notice on the bank telling boaters to stop performing self pump-out at the Elsan disposal point. Someone has been naughty. It seems as if they don’t like their manholes being lifted. Pity, lifting manholes can be fun.

The ducks are a lot cleverer or hungrier round here. They lurk next to the boat’s sink outlet waiting for tasty morsels to flow out with the washing up water.
The moorhens kept missing out at feeding time because the ducks flew straight to the rear doors as soon as anyone showed a face and so they were first in line every time.

Trying to make it fair I threw clods of cold porridge across the canal towards the moorhens and managed to get a dollop stuck on the muddy bank above the water line. Leaping up at the porridge kept moorhens and ducks busy for hours. They even tried sliding down the wet muddy bank from above, grabbing the gooey mess as they fell into the canal.

Kept busy today sanding down the porthole surrounds. Condensation on the aluminium window frames has dribbled down behind the woodwork, seeping under the varnish and staining it black. Scraping, sanding and re-varnishing preceded a thin line of silicone sealant and the problem was solved. Didn't expect to be doing this on a new boat.

27th Jan
Special visitors arrived today with mail and other goodies. Ter and Claire have come to stay the night and we’re booked in Edwards restaurant, just across the canal.

This is a belated 56th birthday celebration and an excuse to eat expensively. I would thoroughly recommend the venison for starters followed by pot roasted guinea fowl. This is the first time I’ve tried Lebanese red wine and found it exceptional, both in taste and price.

28th Jan 2007 – Sunday.
It is with great sadness that we received the news that our friends Mike and Pat on nb.Hyperion have sold up and returned to the easy life. It was more to do with health than with lifestyle choices and we know that they will miss boat life terribly. We and many others who have got to know them will miss seeing them on the cut, but we wish them well on terra firma.
No more comparing notes on engines, batteries and lock flights and no more tips on cruising the dodgy areas around big cities. We hope the next owner will care for Hyperion as Mike and Pat have done these past 18 months and that she sees life outside the marina and cruises for all to admire her.

Tomorrow we're off south again, through Crick Tunnel to the empty fields just above or just below Watford Gap. We're planning on meeting nb.Megan during the week and cruising with cousin Rog and Babs back down Braunston Way.