Saturday, September 10, 2022

Tight squeezes on the canal and at home


Last time we were out, we moored up for our final night on the narrow stretch just east of Wigrams Turn.  There's plenty of mooring along there and it's only a short hop back to Ventnor when it's time to go home.   We had just cruised up from Napton, and as we passed Napton narrowboats we realised it was hire boat turnover day and we could see all the new holiday maker crews eagerly boarding their boats and one or two of them were just pulling out to start their journey.  

You never know with hire boaters, some are very experienced whilst others of course will be complete novices.  We settled in behind one boat, fresh out of the boatyard and crawling along nervously towards Wigram's turn less than five minutes away. Not that we were bothered because we would be stopping just after the turn.  That boat took the turn to go under the bridge and towards Warwick so they were soon out of our way.

That was just as well because our cunning plan was to do a 180  at the turn and reverse up a hundred yards or so to tie up for the night. so that next morning we'd be facing the right way to go home. A gongoozler sitting on the grass outside Wigrams Turn marina  seemed somewhat fummoxed by our antics.  What the heck was this crazy boat doing turning round and then reversing towards Braunston?  All good fun.

Having thus tied up, we looked up and saw the pack of newly released hire boats heading towards us and realised that the canal was pretty narrow where we were.  Oh lor! Would any of them clout us as they passed?  We would have been the first obstacle they encountered after setting off.  Over the course of about half an hour at least a dozen of them squeezed past without, I happy to report, any incident, although inevitably some we going too fast.  One or two had marina staff on board, showing them how to handle the boats.  Later, one such guide walked back past us muttering about some person who despite his best efforts seemed fated never to get the hang of tiller steering. "They'll be lucky to make it to Braunston in one piece", he sighed.

Just after that a very wide widebeam boat appeared.  Blimey, this was going to be tight.  I wasn't even sure the canal was wide enough to get past.  In the event the skipper did a good job and calmly crept by, making it look easy although the offside of his boat was well into the greenery across the canal.  I complimented him on his steering and he cheerily remarked that he spent half his time in the bushes.

It doesn't look too tight in this shot:


but look at the next:


Anyhow all's well that ends well.  We had our final feast on foraged blackberries, and next day headed home to see what they had done to our downstairs loo/shower - an equally tight space to fit a lot into and a difficult space to work in.  This was the reason for us not being allowed home before now, because of the water being off. The space is too tight to even photograph properly.  Any how it all looks fine and worth the wait so that's a big relief.  Note the cunning washbasin built into the top of the cistern.  A good space saver in that tiny room.

 

All done by our Claire's partner Gary.  When we arrived home Gary formally asked me for Claire's hand in marriage!  A plumber /  bathroom fitter for a son in law - deep joy. Now he's tiling our upstairs bathroom floor and fitting a new loo and washbasin.  Having checked out his abilities I'm wondering what he could do to Herbie.

PS I am paying Gary but it's a lot of work and he's going the extra mile for us.  Result!


1 comment:

Brian and Diana on NB Harnser said...

He would spend half his time in the bushes, he moors up the North Oxford at Dunchurch Pools