Bank Holiday Flypast

 When you open your engine room doors

 

We had our own private bank holiday flypast

Keith

Bridge No.33 to Bridge No.3

 Started off fine, but slight drizzle stopped play just as we were mooring up. No queue at Watford locks, and only 1 boat coming up the staircase. Now moored after bridge No.3 of the Leicester line of the Grand Union, where we were 12 days ago.

 11¼ miles 7 locks 1 tunnel in 4hrs 50mins. what3words /// polished.denser.contoured 

Piling work

Yelvertoft Marina, I know it is, it says so on the sign

Jo steering

Nice to see so many cowslips along the towpath

Crick Marina, I know it is, it says so on the sign

Crick tunnel

Who's nicked the front of me boat!

Approaching Watford top lock

The M1 crossing the canal above Watford locks

Temporarily moored above the locks waiting to go down

Whilst waiting I took a couple of photos from around the locks

This one too, showing the side pond between the top lock and the start of the staircase

One of the side ponds filling from the lock

Going down

A bit leaky behind me

Very leaky behind me, still washed the counter off for us

Exiting Watford bottom lock

Now moored back at Bridge No.3

Keith

Dry Docking Part 2 and Back to Bridge No.33

 Bit of catching up to do with our docking photos now we are out of the dry dock and have moved back to Bridge No.33 on the Leicester line.

5 miles 1 lock in 1hr 50mins. what3words ///deprives.name.registers

Once the hull had been jet-washed Tuesday we had to wait for the hull to dry

Tuesday morning Jo made a start on rubbing down and primering the bow

Once dry the hull didn't look too bad

!st coat of blacking

Jo got started on the tunnel bands

Wednesday Jo did more on the bow

I did the weed hatch cover

Jo blacking the rubbing strakes between the tunnel bands

Whilst we were outside in the fresh air for a break we spotted this muntjac deer running across the field behind the dry dock

Stern painting finished

Bow painting finished

And the other side

This morning the dock was refilled with water

Nearly ready to leave

We temporarily moored at the wharf to take on water

Welford lock

Welford junction

I knew we were 28 miles from Leicester at this point, it said so on the mile post

Now moored near Bridge No.33 again

Keith

Dry Docking

 This morning work began with emptying the dock, the worst was scrapered off, then jet washed. Painting will start tomorrow when she is dry.

Pumping the water out of the dock

Ready to get started

Ready to get started

She only just fits in the dock

At both ends!

Pressure washing

Keith

Welford Wharf

 This morning we moved to the wharf mooring ready to go into the dry dock later today.

0hrs, 5mins, 0 locks. what3words ///airbrush.stays.employers😊

Keith

Into Dry Dock

This evening we moved Hadar into the dry dock ready for this morning. 

what3words ///eyelashes.feasting.shells

Keith

Snoozing

According to Jo, she was not asleep, you decide 😴

 

Keith

Welford Wharf Building Opening and Tree Festival

 Had a marvellous sunny day today with the official opening of the restored wharf side building here at the Welford wharf. Volunteers have been working on it for quite a few years, and it looks really good, and is again useable inside. There was a demonstration on making lime mortar at the lime kilns. There was also a tree festival in the Pocket Park, where local children had built a large bug hotel as part of the festival. We got to meet and spent a long time chatting with Keith and Gill on Effingham. 😊

The almost finished (finished enough to display) wharf side building at Welford wharf

The wharf side building at Welford wharf looking good after all the restoration work on it

A demonstration of lime mortar making at the lime kilns

A display of different stones etc. used

A display of different stones etc. used

Part of the tree festival in the Pocket Park

The newly built bug hotel in the Pocket Park as part of the tree festival

More of the tree festival

Keith and Gill departing on Effingham, having displayed her outside the restored building for most of the day

Keith