Cruising - Sort Of!

John and Karen were boat and Duffy sitting while we were visiting the children in Bristol and Newcastle.  While we were away they experienced for the first time what it is like to live on a narrowboat when the weather is bitterly cold.  They survived, of course, but the experience introduced them to the less than rosy side of boating.  Well, they did a good job of looking after everything and John refitted some window catches that had become detached. 

On our return from Newcastle on 14 February we caught up on Laundry and such like.  Wednesday Sue and Karen went in search of supplies while John and I replaced the primary fuel filter.  Thursday we broke free from the marina for the first time since we arrived at the start of Winter and headed in the direction of Shardlow.  The weather was dry but cool and overcast.  Taking it very steadily we stopped near Bridge 12 for our first night out on the cut for some time.  It was very peaceful until the first aircraft from East Midlands Airport took off - no need for an alarm clock.  It's good to see the sun rise earlier each day and to be able to take Duffy for her walk along the towpath in daylight.

We made Shardlow on Friday and moored easily in the 48 hours slot.  Friday's supper was fish and chips for John and me, mushroom stroganof for Sue and belly pork for Karen in The Malt Shovel.  The chef did not disappoint yet again - always a pleasure eating and drinking there.

Saturday morning we set off for Willington after winding Adagio.  The sky hosted some ominous looking grey clouds and the wind was picking up.  We had agreed to return to the marina in a single leg as John and Karen needed to catch up on laundry and prepare for their train journey on Monday.  Soon after we got underway the rain began, slowly at first but picking up some strength quickly.  Soon we were cruising in a steady drizzle of very cold rain.  Five broad locks and about four and a half hours cruising ahead of us we braced ourselves for getting wet.  And we did!  At one point the rain turned into a torrential downpour so I told John I would pull in to wait it out.  As Murphy's Law would have it by the time I found a suitable stretch the rain eased off again!  Despite the awful cold and wet we all kept our brave faces on and made it back to the marina in good time.  A short detour to the service jetty for a pumpout was almost our undoing as the notorious cross-wind whipped up as I prepared to pull away back to our berth.  After a short battle against the wind I managed to bring Adagio round but minus Sue and John who were left stranded on the jetty where they had been assisting me to get the boat away from alongside.  At least all hands were safe although Sue and John had to walk around the marina to get to our berth.

Despite the atrocious weather on the return leg we all enjoyed our brief, first cruise of the year.  We spent Sunday catching up on laundry, cleaning kit and John and Karen packing ready to leave us.  Having seen them off at the station we were back to just we three on the boat - it was all very quiet again!