Good to hear you are boating again after all the problems of last year. Thanks for the trip report, it makes me want to be boating too. We are looking forward to getting away on Tam Lin later this year for our first proper trip in two years.
Love to you both John (& Gill) Watson nb Tam Lin > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Andrew Dyke > Sent: 06 March 2008 12:34 > To: Canals-List > Subject: [canals-list] Trippet to Pershore > > Hi All, > > Our intention was to move off our mooring in Evesham at 9.00 > am. This the > first time we have left the mooring having first removed the > holding rods > and attachments on the boat. This, and the usual food loading > etc. took > longer than anticipated and we left at 9.25 in bright > sunshine. An overnight > heavy frost has left a blanket of white on the roof but this was fast > disappearing in the sunshine helped by the Morso and Premier stoves on > board. I decided to reverse out of the mooring and back into the River > Isbourne junction. A manoeuvre that proved successful and > saved going all > the way into Evesham to turn on wider river waters. I must say the bow > thruster proves very useful on these occasions and I find I > use it more and > more on the river. Even a very slow flow, as was the case > here, can push the > boat sideways and into trouble. We passed the water point and pumpout > station and wonder if it's working yet. Will find out on our > return. It's a > lovely winters day and so good to be boating again after a > difficult 12 > months. Bits of caravan and all sorts of rubbish still hang > in the trees and > bankside foliage. I doubt they will ever get collected. > Sankey Marina is > full of boats on the jetty and a huge crane sits ready to > lift them back > into then water. On the opposite side of the river in the > distance stands Ed > Rammer's lovely house, now sadly up for sale. Ed was one of 2 > people who > offered me their house to stay in when ours was wrecked last > year. They were > off on holiday and we 'could use the place like our own'. We > decided not > too, but a wonderful offer from a very nice man. > Charlton lock, it's gates open, is ready for us we slip slowly in. > Refurbishment has taken place here, new gates and winding > gear. Wendy opens > the stiff paddles. Two thirds down the tiller suddenly, > violently, moves. I > thought I had hit the cill, but no, the rear paddle was still > partly open. > Regaining control of the boat, paddle shut and all was well. > On exit we spy > a lowly fisherman looking cold. A breeze keeps the > temperature down but > makes up for it by sending ripples across the water. I am > enjoying this. A > few people around on the banks, walking dogs mainly. Fladbury > lock is again > with us. I am looking around so much I somehow miss a huge > tree by the lock > entrance and as I hit it, LT is pushed across to the other > side of the lock > and gently nudges the lock wall. This lock is in need of > attention. The > gates are rotten and leaky. The balance beams ready to drop > off. Work was > due to be going on right now, but is has been put off till > the autumn. We > chugg on, the sun has gone now and I need a coat. > The river winds back and forth, we pass a LANT boat with 3 chaps in it > having elevenses. On route I make a couple of phone call > including one to > Orange to set up the data daily service, more of this later. > Wyre Piddle > boatyard has expanded. It's got a marina and more work going > on as we speak. > The diamond shaped Wyre lock has open gates. LT's 62 foot is > too big for the > side sections and as the water drops LT wanders a bit. On > exit A tree is in > the way. Should have used the other gate, too late now. Wendy > has moved to > the landing stage as there is no easy way from lock to boat. > The weir is > pushing the boat the wrong way, help. Bow thruster, back and forth, > eventually I get to the jetty. Phew. Pershore is now 10 > minutes or so and we > are soon tied up with the entire mooring section to > ourselves. It's 12.25pm. > An excellent run of 3 hours. > Part of the reason for this trip is because Wendy and I both > have civic > duties in Pershore over the next 3 days and to use the boat > as a base makes > great sense. The rest of today is spent on shopping at the > nearby Co-op, a > meeting for me at the District council, a little computing, > setting up the > new TV, with built in digibox. Mikomi, 15inch flat screen, > Argos 120 quid, > 30 quid off. I remember the TV picture being good in > Pershore, I was wrong. > Still set works well, but can't as yet try out the digi side > of things as > there is no signal . Wendy started the spring clean. Well, > someone has to do > it. Eat on board and early to bed. > > Regards > > Andrew & Wendy > Tales from The River - Pershore > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >
