Sunshine, Church Bells and a Howling Gale

 

We left our peaceful Braunston mooring and passed nb Waiouru and nb Stray Away again on our way towards Hillmorton. It was lovely to hear the bells at Braunston church calling the faithful to service as we made our way, closely followed by a hotel pair, onto a very windy Oxford canal.

We felt sorry for the numerous newbie hirers who were struggling through strong cross winds steering a craft they are not familiar with – crash and panic were the themes for their day. We spotted one crew who moored up at 11am to sit it all out. I was having to steer Jannock crab-like up the exposed sections although she returned to normal once we gained shelter from hedge or cutting.

Quote of the day came from Brenda as we were looking at a warning sign in the window of a live-aboard boat moored near Barby – “I don’t know about the dog, it’s the curtains I’d be more scared of”. The mould and soot would do you much more harm than a bark and a bite!

Hillmorton 3 was interesting; our serving suggestion of “ give it some welly!” wasn’t taken up by a Napton Narrowboats crew, “softly softly catchee monkey” was the preferred option which left them bow to stern across the canal below the top lock – no harm done luckily.

We continued on and moored up at Brownsover, just before the road bridge. Brenda went and did a bit of shopping while I fetched the car from Weedon and took it to Brinklow marina. I then Di Blasi’d back to Jannock and we continued on to moor for the night on the Newbold visitor moorings just after Green’s bridge. The hotel boats were moored there as well so they must have passed us while I was car shuffling.

Graham