Busy Going Nowhere

Lottie ready to travel

We left home at 11.20 an hour later than usual due to packing the car. The journey to the boat took 5 hours and twenty minutes instead of the normal 3 hours 30.

I queued through our local town, but got up to 70 on the M 23 until we had to queue to join the M 25. We had a good run up Reigate hill then signs flashed QUEUE CAUTION and queue we did! It was stop and start all the way to the M 40 with plenty of time to observe the more interesting cars.

We stopped at the first services on the M 40 and were lucky to park near the dog walk which wound around a lake. After a quick lunch break (after 2.00 to the Captain’s disgust) he took the helm and soon complained the M 40 was as bad as the M 25. The M 42 was heaving with traffic but kept moving at 40 mph. Even the local roads were busy.

Once at the marina we unloaded quickly and cruised to Handsacre to cool the fridge, charge the batteries and heat our water then turn around. Why start a cruise like this? Well it was because I had a craft and book stall at a local village event on Saturday so our cruise would begin after that.

The Captain was listening gloomily to the England versus Pakistan cricket test match when I reached the winding hole.

on the way to Handsacre

I started to wind the boat ready to return to the marina, but the engine stopped when I tried to reverse. Worst still the control lever was jammed and the engine would not restart. The captain tried everything but the lever was frozen.

Meanwhile the boat drifted to the far side of the winding hole where a man in his back garden stared wide eyed. Realizing he might be asked to help he bolted into his house like a startled rabbit.

approaching the winding hole

Unfazed the Captain grabbed our barge pole and punted us across to the towpath. Lottie hopped off and spent her time sniffing the shrubbery while I pulled the boat over to the bank. Up came the back deck and the Captain descended into the engine bay where he found the gear box selection lever jammed. He fiddled around with the prop shaft then came up and tried the control lever which moved freely. Encouraged, the Captain tried the engine – it fired up first time. What caused the glitch? We don’t know and as long as the boat behaves correctly we don’t care.

come on - follow me

As Lottie made it clear she had no intention of returning to the boat I walked her part way back to the marina. Was she miffed because once again we had not set out on  a cruise? Tomorrow she will get her wish. 

We had a pleasant meal back at the marina and then discovered the next week was going to be HOT!