Monday 15 August 2011

We didn't mean to go to sea

Well that is what the day felt like!

Set off at 0745 to complete the last three locks of the Devizes flight, with the intention of using the sani station on Devizes Wharf, a small shop and onwards to moor at the very nice moorings we had seen at All Cannings on our way down.   The sun was shining and it showed promise of a good day.
DO NOT MAKE PLANS!
The locks were accomplished with no problem.  We have found coming up relatively easy when we are on our own in these locks.  Geoff is very careful to open the paddles gradually and there have been no major bumps I am glad to say.
The water point was occupied so we tied up opposite whilst I went shopping.  Eventually watered, very slowly, by which time there was someone waiting to take our place.  Set off for what should have been about an hours run to All Cannings.   This was the first disappointment of the day as the moorings were completely full with no sign of anyone moving..............so onward........
It was lunchtime by now and our usual time for stopping. We tried a couple of places along the banks with no success so it was lunch on the go.

Clearing has been done in a lot of places along the canal but there are still a few passages where the reeds are gradually taking over and it is definitely one way traffic.

We eventually reached Pewsey where we did not have high hopes but to our surprise a boat pulled out of a mooring just ahead of us so we thought our luck was in.   We managed to get the bows in only but we were satisfied with that until Geoff discovered a wasps nest just near the bows........so back off and onward again!!!!
Boat of the day
A few more rough bank moorings were attempted but the vibes were not right.   We were resigned to continuing to Wooton Rivers so prepared to do another couple of locks.   As we approached the bottom lock there we saw a boat entering the lock which was good news we thought as we could share.  As we got closer we saw there was already a boat in the lock so hopes dashed again.   Only one paddle was working so a longish wait for our turn.   Above the lock there are visitor moorings and there was one space, albeit not quite long enough.   However Geoff moved a deserted boat back one mooring ring and we managed to squeeze in.   By this time we had been on the go for 9 hours so we just wanted to stop....... (no siesta for Geoff today!!)
En route I went to put the roast chicken in the oven only to discover that despite being within the sell by date that it was off....second big disappointment of the day.....  
The 3rd and final disappointment was no TV either from normal or sat aerial and I had wanted to watch New Tricks............
However one must always look on the plus side.....the clouds had steadily built up over the course of the afternoon and we felt the first drops of rain as we came up the lock.  We managed to be moored up and with the pram cover up before the worst descended.
15.64 miles, 9 hours, 4 locks

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