Narrowboat Balmaha – Weedon to Braunston

Monday 6th October 2008

There’s ice under the roof hatches this morning but in spite of the cold we have the promise of a sunny day. In fact the forecast is for improving weather so the occasional cold night is a small price to pay.
Just a couple of hours to do this morning and we’ll tuck ourselves in at Weedon, near the bridge carrying the A5 over the Grand Union Canal.

Rounding the last bend we bumped into Les on nb.Valerie going t’other way, he’s moving south, heading for warmer waters on the G.U. so we may not see him over the winter months.

One visitor’s space left near the A5 and we took it. Hadn’t been there five minutes when the lady from the next boat offered us a lift to town for shopping. What a friendly lot they are here. It’s nice to see families nattering outside their boats while wisps of smoke curl up from chimneys and dogs sit watching the ducks paddle by discussing the latest offerings from galley portholes.

Tuesday brought the odd bit of rain but our day was brightened by the arrival of Graham and two Pennys.
Graham and Penny 1 are Velcro–nites (Aussies) but Penny 2 is a Fens lass and if I’m not mistaken could be softening to the idea of living aboard. Treated to a slap-up meal at the Narrowboat pub restaurant we didn’t need to eat again for the rest of the day. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It was good to catch up on news, especially of friends down south, in the New Forest.

Wednesday nearly saw us light the boiler before getting out of bed, but running on tip-toe to the shower and back soon got the blood moving and by breakfast the sun was out, raising the temperature a couple of degrees.
It’s a short cruise to Buckby locks where we were joined by Caroline on nb.Elusive. Not content as a single-hander to sit it out on the stern she’s up the ladder at each lock and winding those paddles.

We soon got into a routine and made short work of the locks although those heavy gates took some shifting. Don’t think Caroline is a countryside fan judging by her remark about this being too rural and longing to get back to London. Could always try Leicester, something for everyone there.

Thursday
Thought we’d get up early and do Braunston Tunnel before the rush but I’m amazed to see everyone has the same idea, two boats through the tunnel before 8.30am and when our time came we had to book a slot between Lauremma and a working boat with a bow as high as a double deck bus.

It was no quieter the other side of the tunnel because every lock was packed with boats going up or down, some of us even having to queue.

We’d nearly cleared the locks when Michelle called down from the bank to say she followed our Blog. Along with her husband Bill they were cruising the canals in their tiny narrowboat Shilling on one of their twice-annual holidays from North Carolina.

A lovely couple, super accent, they kept up with canal and river news through several Blogs including recent camera developments aboard ‘No Problem’. I asked Bill how things were back home. 70 to 80 degrees F he said, don’t know what that is in C. He didn’t need to say any more, that’s hot.

What a week for weather this was turning out to be. It started grey but the sun broke through every day and it looked set for the weekend.

Bright as it was we were moored beside trees outside Braunston Marina and the solar panel did nothing to earn its keep, turning in a maximum of 0.4 amps, but the biggest disappointment was finding coiled purple droppings on the boat below the overhanging trees.
The paint scraper cleared most of it off but the next morning they were back again, loads of them. I’ve never seen this pattern of do-dos before and wondered if the source was the same as the strange bird call I heard at around dusk.

Friday 10th
Whoopee, visitors day – Terry and Pam, bearing gifts (thank you so so much) and fresh from their ‘boat fix’ they called in to see us.

Eating, drinking and nattering constantly the ladies covered every subject under the sun while the men shared views on a more practical level.

Giving the jaws a rest we exercised our legs at the marina and toured a handful of boats up for sale. Spotting Clarence still in the sheds and looking far from ready I resolved not to tell her owners my thoughts on a delivery date.

Wandering around with V I realised how much I had come to like Braunston. The company of boaters, visitors perched on the bridges or dawdling along the towpath, brightly coloured floating homes of all ages and the boing-boing-boing of vintage engines all adding to its charm.

However, bounced by a late arrival under cover of darkness we were reminded just how attractive Braunston is for the traveller. Apologies received and paintwork intact the matter was dismissed.

Saturday
Waiting for water at the Stop House we were hailed by the skipper of passing hire boat Tarry, who told us they read our Blog and asked after Sue and Vic. I’m not brilliant on accents but it definitely sounded southern hemisphere to me. G’day to you to.

Thinking it was getting busy we moved off up the North Oxford Canal but it was crazy there too. No chance of a peaceful afternoon so I pulled the woodwork apart (sorry Gary) and fitted a new rubber duck radio aerial on the roof. As anyone with sprayfoam will tell you there’s a right mess on the floor after shoving and pulling wires up behind the wall panels.

What with the extra exertion and the extraordinarily good wall to wall sunshine I resorted to shorts and T shirt. The solar panel did us proud at 6 amps but when the sun went behind the hedge the temperature suddenly dropped and dew had appeared on the grass by 7 o’clock.

Sunday 12th October 2008
Sunrise, well it may not be as early as some people’s sunrise, but this was the morning for capturing the sun on the horizon. My efforts don’t do it justice so it’s another of those “you had to be there to appreciate it” occasions.

The Fens in the summer were very beautiful but the canals have their moments too, even in October.
I wouldn’t swap this way of life for anything.
Apart from, maybe, a wide-beam in France?