Monday, November 04, 2013

Frost on the roof, mist on the water, rain down the neck!

Our first proper frost this morning, swirls of ice on the top-box cover.SAM_6992

Mist was rising from the canal, soon to be burnt off by the bright sun.SAM_6993
It’s that time of year now when we look forward to overnight frosts. After the weekend rain the towpaths have got pretty gooey. Low temperatures overnight tend to stiffen the mud a bit…

We got off around 10:30, just a little way initially to the services just before Bridge 63.

Essentials dealt with, we pushed on, out of town, past some very polite permanent moorers on the offside.
SAM_6996

Victoria Wharf, Orwell’s coal yard, has a couple of boats for sale on the hardstanding.SAM_6997

The bright start was not to last, unfortunately. Heavy clouds started to roll in as we approached Betton Wood, and the first of several showers blew in.SAM_6998

I saw three kingfishers today, but the little blighters just wouldn’t stay still enough for a picture. Not even a blurry one, today.

See the little splash of blue in the bottom right? That’s one of our little friends just taking wing.
SAM_7002

As we approached Adderley Locks we were treated to an impressive rainbow ahead.SAM_7011

It was a bit of consolation for the drenching we got as soon as we committed to go down the locks. I’d just opened the paddles to drain Lock 1 and the heavens opened. Mags and Meg ducked inside, I found a handy tree…
SAM_7012
You can’t tell from the picture, but it was coming down like stair-rods. Not enough to wash the leaves off the roof though. A job for tomorrow…

It was a bit too wet for photos as we dropped down the five locks, till we got to the bottom and it stopped. Typical contrary weather.

Out of Lock 5SAM_7013
There are some pleasant moorings just before the bend in the distance, so that’s where we pulled in.

SAM_7014

We may stay here for a day, before moving on to Audlem. Got to judge the weather right. Five locks in the rain is do-able but unpleasant. Fifteen (although we’ll probably only do eleven for a start) is positively masochistic!
Nice views across the fields here.SAM_7016 

The grass is lush alongside the boat, what’s the betting that the mower men will be along tomorrow?

Locks 5, miles 3¾

1 comment:

Adam said...

I think the nicest moorings at Audlem are only two locks down (although that does make it quite a long walk into the village!) Can't remember when you were last in Audlem, but there was a nice butcher which was new to us, round to the left past the church.