We are bereft!

Mags has left us! But only for 24 hours…. She’s got a review with her GP this afternoon, and her son Howard was heading north after visiting a friend in Basingstoke, so he kindly offered to collect her on the way. She’ll be back tomorrow.
Howard arrived yesterday, in time for a proper Sunday roast, and stopped overnight. He’ll stay over again tomorrow night after returning the skipper. Meg is wondering where she’s gone to…

We’d moved into Braunston on Saturday morning, securing a spot just beyond the main marina entrance. This gave us a couple of options for Mags to get to Howard’s wheels.

I wasn’t happy with the picture of Braunston church I’d posted on Friday evening, so here’s a better one…

And yesterday evening, while I was still playing night-time happy-snaps, I took this of Braunston Marina from the towpath bridge. It’s mainly the workshops and the old line of the South Oxford Canal.

I’ve booked a dry dock at Stone for next March, so I can get the blacking redone. It will have been three years since the last time, but it was a thorough job so has lasted well. I want to make sure the hull is well protected before venturing onto the briney in May…

I priced up a large can of Intertuf at Wharf House and decided to buy it, but at around 45 lbs it was a bit heavy to tote along the towpath, so Howard whipped me round there first thing to collect it.

Twenty litres should give me a good coverage, at least two coats, and extra on the waterline. I also want to do the inside of the gas locker while it’s dry. It’s gonna be a busy weekend…

They left, heading north, at around half-nine, Meg just stood in the road watching them go. She didn’t want to come back to the boat…

I had an hour or so while the washer was running, then set off back to the Turn, winding in the entrance to the marina.

Turning around

Down at the water point and al-fresco dump-it station a familiar boat was moored…

Gary and Della on NB Muleless had just beaten me to it. Still, it gave the washer a chance to finish the second load of the day before I topped up the tank. We had a natter and a cup of tea while the hose was doing it’s business, then parted company.

Narrowboat greeting, Eskimo style??

Picture postcard, almost


We set off in different directions, but they would pass me later after turning around.

At Braunston Turn there was a boat coming out of where I wanted to be…
…but he kindly backed off.

I cruised gently down to the winding hole near Wolfhamcote, turned around and reversed a tad to moor in the sun on a good bit of piling. We’re facing the right way to head back in to collect Mags again tomorrow.

Nb Muleless went past as I was pegging out the washing

Shiny boat!

Bridge 98 has a very wide span. It’s on the straightened bit, between the Puddle Banks and the Turn, which would require it to be wide, but this seems a bit over the top. It only carry’s a farm track… although looking at the map it would have been the main route between Braunston and the villages of Sawbridge and Grandborough, giving access to the Weedon & Leamington Branch of L&NWR at Braunston Station.

It’s actually the first bridge on the “new” bit, heading north, and just on the right of the picture is where the original line heads off across the fields, finishing up at Braunston Marina. Maybe it’s so wide because it’s close to the temporary junction. If this section south from the Turn was opened before the bit between the Turn and the marina, there’d be a very sharp left turn here for boats heading for Brauston Locks…

I’ve got the recorder set up for Mags’ soaps tonight…

Hi Marilyn and David, good to hear from you. Will certainly keep an eye out for you and Waka Huia when you’re back next year. Till then you’ll have to get your “narrowboat fix” remotely, eh. Have a good winter (summer?).

Locks 0, miles 2½