First Cruise of the Season



Journey's start

After a few wet days we chased through the rain belts to the boat. We arrived at the Marina as inky cloud blew away with an excited dog. Paul unloaded our supplies while I walked Lottie, to avoid her attacking the trolley. As Paul finished another deluge started but Lottie and I had a soggy walk back from the far side of the marina. We used the time to sort out and stow all the equipment that had overwintered at home.

Finally the rain ceased and we set out late afternoon. Immediately on reaching the canal I walked the loopy Lurched who was keen to check if anything had changed since the last visit. It had –the paths were slippery with thick mud.

How many ducklings?

While I slithered along she herded several ducks back into the water but did not follow them in. Thankfully she was on the boat when we passed our first ducklings.

Once back on board we meandered through to Rugely with Lottie leaning far over the water to see what lay ahead. Spring flowers where abundant and the fields were verdant.

colourful meadows

Lottie and I walked ahead to check the roofless Armitage tunnel was empty then waved our boat on. In the summer there can be convoys of six to eight boats that have to be stopped or there would be boats stuck nose to nose as the tunnel is only wide enough for one narrow boat.

Paul’s first mooring attempt was brilliant as he slotted the boat neatly into a space so that our fenders were touching the other boats fenders at the front and back. However on discovering a bigger space further along Paul moved us on.

Lottie loves her quilt

The night was peaceful apart from Lottie demanding her quilt was put back over her, even though the fire burnt slowly. How come she is lively in the morning when I am sluggish after getting up to resettle her?

At first it was sunny but the clouds soon pressed in and the wind gusted into our faces. Cold, cold, cold. Why did we miss that lovely hot spell ten days ago? Oh yes - I had two book signings and his lordship had a hot date with the dentist.

Great Hayward Lock

His lordship kept Lottie on the lead at Colwich lock as there were people around so Lottie attacked her lead. She tried to chew it then grasped it between her teeth and played tug-of-war.

When it was my turn to lock at Great Hayward I put her muzzle on. We had bought this to stop her eating vast amounts of rubbish and dog mess but it stops her interfering with the lead. She turned her puppy eyes on me but I didn’t fall for the innocent act. The muzzle stayed on even though she pawed at it. She understood because later on in the day we left the muzzle off and she didn’t attack her lead once. Strangely there was no queue for the lock. Usually there are five or more boats waiting here.

Swan escort

The fields were bursting with fluffy lambs. Five had wandered away from their mothers and were standing by the water. Lottie waited eyes fixed on them as we glided by. WOOF! She gave her fiercest bark as we drew level. The lambs fled back to their mothers for reassurance, apart from one who bounded up to the wrong sheep. It cantered round bleating in panic until its mother trotted over. I’m surprised the rest didn’t make the same mistake, after all the woolly creatures all look identical.

I'm coming to get you

After lunch we cruised on enjoying the bursts of sunshine which counteracted the burning wind. The Trent and Mersey canal had little traffic but a swan escorted us though his patch pecking the rear fender as if we were criminals. Paul increased speed to lose him but when the cob fell behind he flew to catch up and attacked our fender again. Perhaps he was trying to protect his mate although she was calmly feeding. That swan will be worn out in the summer if he escorts every boat.

True to cruising legend the wind died down as soon as we had moored for the night.