Normally the pick up time should have been 3pm at Wooten Wawen, not much chance of getting anywhere at this time of year especially on a hire boat. Mick had called the boat yard on Friday to see if we could pick the boat up earlier and they had said it should be ready at about 12.30pm. If not we could go to the pub to wait. We arrived around 12.45 to find our boat tied up on the narrow aqueduct. We went off for a little saunter to wait. After about half an hour we went to see how they were getting on, nearly there! A while more waiting and then we could put our bags on board.
The layout was similar to Winding Down but no dinette, instead a free standing table and two chairs along with two swivel chairs in front of the TV and stove. The bed was a kind of 2 poster bed which meant swinging bags onto it was a bit tricky.Then the walkthrough with one of the chaps. We haven't done this for ages! I had mentioned that we were experienced boaters so much of the instruction was left out. They had provided us with half a bag of coal and we asked where we'd be able to get some more. One of the chaps popped off in his van to get a new bag, then a chimney was borrowed from another boat. We were the only ones heading out that day and for the forseeable future. They refused payment for the coal as they had held us up, so off we set finally opening up the navigation on the aquaduct. Good job it was quiet!
First time out after our training I didn't want to have to do any serious manoeuvres in front of people, so Mick took the helm. We headed north towards Lapworth and Kingswood Junction as the other way there were stoppages. Gosh the bridge holes were tiny, only about three inches spare each side, oh well, good practice.
We pootled along with a cuppa and a sandwich in hand along the longish pound stopping just short of three bridges before Preston Bagot Bottom Lock. It was about 3.30 and we'd have to do at least three locks before we moored up for the night , by then the sun would have long gone, so we decided to moor up.
First job light the stove. On Winding Down we had become very adept at this, but a different stove with different vents, we managed in the end, although we did seem to be getting a bit of a wiff from it. We set about making ourselves at home, finding places for our things. The wind was getting up outside and with no fenders we were bumping into the side quite a lot. Also every now and then there was a strange nose which we later worked out was the rudder moving with the wind.
At 6.30pm we headed for the local pub The Crabmill Inn. Quite posh and busy. We elected to sit in the bar, more like a lounge, to eat. Mick had a Venison Burger and I had Belly pork with a tiny toffee apple. All very nice and nice beer too, if a little bit posh.
Back at the boat we decided that it maybe wasn't wise for us to try to keep the fire going all night, we were still getting some fumes from it. So we let it burn out and listened to the wind as we drifted off to sleep.
2 miles, 0 locks, 1 narrow aquaduct, 2 poster bed, 0 fenders, 2367 bumps against the side!
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