Polling day dawned bright and clear, the winds having moderated considerably. The winds of political change are, however, more variable. We rode our bikes to the polling station and then skipped out, en route Bristol. Being on the actual River Avon, we’ve been on a fairly wandering route through the Somerset countryside. Now stopping to gather our breath in Keynsham, just seven miles short of our chosen turnaround point, in Bristol harbour.
Total progress for the day was: 8 miles + 4 locks. Weather: clement.
Day 6
Between, and during, huge bouts of precipitation and very gusty winds, we moved Moonstone about one mile, and through three locks ... one of then the deepest on the canal system ... a drop of almost twenty feet. We were aided in this endeavour by Tom’s (17 year-old) grandson: Beck. When we arrived at our chosen mooring, the wind was too fierce for Lyn to keep hold of the head-rope. She tossed it back aboard whilst Tom performed an elegant and skilful ‘360’; before making a faultless (second) approach! Failed to convince Beck that: “It isn’t always like this!” The move to this part of Bath has proved to us that our set-up for receiving mobile-internet is actually working correctly. This episode will be sent from our dining table! Tomorrow we vote ... but for whom??? Is there anyone worth supporting?
Total progress for the day was: 1 miles + 3 locks (dropping 42’). Sails in rags. Crew soaked to the bone. Mutiny averted by generous libations of Calvados!
Day 5
Spent most of the day entertaining various family members on board the boat. Great to catch up with them! Jane – Tom’s lovely daughter – brought the mail. She’s our default ‘Poste Restante’ whilst we’re cruising. Mike –Tom’s son – guided us to an internet cafe, where we got a connection to collect e-mail and update this (b)Log.
Total progress for the day was: 0 miles + 0 locks. Weather: wet!
Day 4
Breakfasted and abluted (yes, Sue, I do know that’s not a real word!) by 8:30; incredibly early by our standards; we slipped our mooring and proceeded in a westward direction; toward the elegant, regency, city of Bath. Our route wended along hillsides, occasionally meandering across the river Avon to the opposite hillside, by means of small, stone aqueducts. Nearly ten miles of lock-free cruising brought us to the first of six locks, letting the canal down to join the River Avon proper. After just three locks we found very salubrious moorings in the pound (‘pound’ = the bit of water between adjacent locks) between lock #11 and lock #10; quiet, but just ten minutes walk from the centre of the city. Sadly; mobile (cell) phone signal isn’t really strong enough for a reliable internet connection. Tom made a lovely beef curry - the recipe a collaboration with Mrs. Patak - as we spent the evening with Callum, Tom's son's son & his lovely Mum, Helen. Together we watched the final frames - television reception very good - of the World Snooker Championship.
Total progress for the day was: 10 miles + 3 locks. Weather: intermittent sunny periods
Day 3.
Between showers – a local reference to the monsoon-like precipitations throughout the day – we took three walks around the environs of Bradford on Avon. We were delighted (though sadly, neglecting to have taken a photograph of the scene) to see a game of cricket being played on the local pitch; sandwiched between the River Avon and the canal. The delight was occasioned by espying that all members, of both teams, were dressed in ‘whites’; rather than the objectionable primary colours (emblazoned with sponsors’ names and logos) espoused, these days, by international sides. It’s heartening to know that the old standards are being maintained in remote corners of the Empire!
Total progress for the day was: 0 miles + 0 locks; (still) mooring overnight, just by the Tithe Barn. Weather: intermittent sunny periods, interspersed with generous downpours.
Total progress for the day was: 0 miles + 0 locks; (still) mooring overnight, just by the Tithe Barn. Weather: intermittent sunny periods, interspersed with generous downpours.
Day 2.
... no visible improvement in the weather, and still no milkmaids.
Stopping at Hilperton Boatyard, only to top-up with fuel (diesel, not beer; that’s already been topped-up) and propane (for cooking), we made the very short excursion to the delightfully picturesque little town of Bradford-on-Avon.
In the 19th. century, the city of Bradford, in Yorkshire, was named after this town; then a famous woollen-spinning centre; but lacking the ‘on-Avon’ suffix to its moniker. On becoming one of England’s pre-eminent centres of spinning (‘centre’? ‘spinning’? geddit?) Bradford,Yorkshire, declined to add ‘oop nawth’ to its name; thus the appellation of our current quarters. The fact that there are, in England, at least FOUR rivers called ‘Avon’, only adds to the confusion! Such is the bucolic nature of Bradford-on-Avon (Stratford, by-the-by, is on a completely different ‘Avon’) electronic communications here are extremely tenuous; so posting this chapter of the b(log) may require to be adjourned until Sunday or Monday.
Total progress for the day was (merely): 4 miles + 1 lock; mooring overnight, just by the Tithe Barn. Weather: indifferent!
Day 1.
Having make ‘all preparations for sea’, our first day started with our departing Caen Hill Marina at 1130 (quite early for us slugabeds); on the First of May. No milkmaids, washing their faces in the dew, where espied ... but they might have been at been doing so at dawn: the prescribed time for the ritual. (n.b. ‘slugabed’ reference above.)
We had a close encounter with, and cunning escape from, an itinerant band of Norwegian chanty-singers (pictured).
They were getting in touch with their Viking heritage on a narrowboat, rather than a longship. Having almost been taken captive, we eluded them by the crafty ruse of leading them to a canal-side pub (The Barge) and taking flight (at 3mph.) whilst they were otherwise engaged quaffing, Continental lager, of indifferent quality! Ale drinkers prevail again!
Lyn: having cycled the full mileage, and working all the locks - whilst Tom looked truly majestic at Moonstone’s tiller – was quite exhausted by the end of our first day; so a visit to a local hostelry was foregone ... not the usual conclusion! A quiet night ensued.
Total progress for the day was: 4¼ miles + 7 locks; mooring overnight, just below Semington Lock. Weather: indifferent!
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