At last, a chance to get back on the cut for a few days helping Bernard to take his boat on the first stage of this,year's summer outing to some of the Northern Canals.
"Sunshine " is a 30ft cruiser-stern narrowboat. Small but beautifully formed, being built by Minden Boats in 1976 and fitted with an air-cooled Lister SR2 engine, thus making up in character for what it lacks in size.
We left Pilling's Lock yesterday in heavy rain, soon drawing the inevitable comments on the boat's name from passers-by. (If you are ever tempted to comment, Bernard has heard it all before!).
Despite a lengthy stop in Loughborough. the weather didn't improve and we got pretty wet on the exposed stern on the way down the Soar.
Highlight of the day was the turn from the Soar onto the Trent, when you do from a fast downstream run to a laborious slog UP the Trent instantaneously.
At Sawley boat a couple of new boaters were checking out the electric locks so I offered to show them how they were operated. After a while with nothing happening one of then asked why I hadn't closed the bottom paddles before trying to open the top ones! Doh!
Very charitably she suggested that perhaps her questions had distracted me, but I've obviously been away from the cut far too long!
Destination for the day was Shardlow and a couple of pints of Pedigree in the Malt Shovel as a reward.
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