Tuesday 17th December 2013

A cold but clear morning greeted us today. We decided to light the stove to keep the boat warm all day, even though the sun was out. We had a full breakfast, minus mushrooms, and set about returning back to Wooten Wawen. 

The canal was steaming and spiders had been busy over night spinning huge long webs across the cut which we broke as we passed by. As we approached the fifth lock of the morning there was a lady at the lock, gosh someone else moving! She had just started to empty the lock when she saw us coming and proceeded to refill it for us. After informing Mick that there were four boats heading our way she jumped on her bike and headed off back to our next lock. Sure enough as we came out of the lock there was a boat heading towards us. This was my first exit from a lock with a fierceish by-wash with another boat there. I succeeded in not hitting the other boat. At the next  three locks we met boats heading up the locks which meant either we could leave gates open or they had been left for us. Chaps were out on the tow path strimming and with chainsaws cutting back the undergrowth.

We were making quite good time so decided to stop to fill with water at Lowsonford. Another boat was just finishing at the water point so we hung back and waited for them to clear. We seemed to have lost all power from the prop, so once we managed to get pulled over to the water point Mick investigated the weedhatch. We had actually managed to get weeds on the prop! A rare occurrence, not one plastic bag in sight!

We pootled on being spotted by a helicopter and later a Chinook. Our supplies were such that the ducks were going to be lucky, but non of them seemed to be at all bothered with our offerings.
 
The sun shone all day, but as soon as it was starting to head to bed the temperature dropped leaving us with a rather a nice sunset. We found a length of piling just before the last bridge back to base, so moored up for the night. The stove had kept the boat lovely throughout the day, so warming up didn't take long. A quick shower and then a wait for my hair to dry before we ventured out to The Navigation Inn for tea. 

The live aboards in the basin were all decked out with Christmas lights and it all looked very festive, the pub on the other hand had only two people in it, so it felt a bit echoy. Gammon and Pie followed by Treacle Sponge and Custard. Not the best cuisine, but okay pub food.

Back to the boat for a couple of glasses of wine and to observe the moon with a large halo round it (sorry photos don't do it justice) before an early bedtime so that we could pack in the morning.
Rather nice not having to do major chores on our last day. Definitely good not having to wash a boat. Hirers have it easy!

16 locks, 6 miles, 4 boats, 8 weeds, 1 helicopter, 1 chinook, 1 amazing moon.