About Me

My photo
70 now and our five wonderful years aboard our narrowboat Skyy seem along time ago. Jacquie, allowed me to build my replica three wheeler kit car, which was a great success. Now it's time to start on a bigger project and that is to make a good Triumph Stag even better, here goes.

Sunday, 22 April 2012

HAIL THE CONQUERING SKIPPER

FRIDAY 20TH TO SUNDAY 22ND APRIL 2012
                                                                     
Friday’s destination was Hawkesbury Junction, also known as Sutton Stop, this is the junction of the Oxford and the Coventry Canals and the stop lock between the two still exists with a rise and fall of only about nine inches, but the old canal companies guarded their water very jealously. Shortly before we arrived we passed the graveyard of old Volkswagen vehicles, I will never understand the mentality of collecting things and then just letting them rot away, but the lady in the bath didn’t appear concerned.
 


Another pub has bitten the dust, The Elephant and Castle, five minutes before the junction, is now boarded up. The Greyhound, however, right by the lock, is busier than ever, we couldn’t get a table until 8.30 on Saturday evening. As we walked towards the pub we were concerned by the heavy drumming sound coming from that direction, it was Morris dancers, but of course I had not bothered to bring the camera, but we enjoyed another excellent meal in this characterfull pub.



 Sunday morning was bright and warm as we descended the nine inches and turned right under the bridge and headed North, Another pub that was only boarded up a year or so ago, The Navigation Inn, would appear to be undergoing a restoration, or I hope it is rather than demolition. We soon passed The Charity Dock, I think it must be owned by the same guy who collects the Volkswagens, only here he has more mannequins and an even bigger collection of rotting boats.

 

A few minutes later we accomplished the tight turn into the Ashby Canal and planned to cruise for another hour or so, but within minutes the sun was suddenly blotted out and a vicious hail storm hit us. I kept going until the sun came back out, but my bottom half was drenched and as soon as a bit of Armco came into sight, I moored up to it, just in time as the rain returned as I fastened the last mooring line and here we will stay.

No comments: