More spring cleaning

Tuesday 4^th June;  Braunston outskirts to outside the marina

Up early-ish, in decent weather for outside cleaning! So after breakfast, out I went to clean the bird poo off the roof before getting a bucket and toothbrush and cleaning the algae and grot from the window frames on the starboard side.  With the doors and windows open to the sun, Dave finished blacking the stove, which now looks very smart indeed.  We love this mooring; close enough to Brauston for shopping but far enough from the busy road crossings to hear the birdsong.  The towpath is not wide and a bit overgrown, but foot traffic is very light.

See Meg at the stern?

 After lunch we wound our way along the twisty cut into Braunston, taking some photos of the lovely views along the way.

Now what do these cattle know that we don’t?

Passing the junction bridges, we cruised towards the Stop House.  It was very quiet boat-wise because Braunston locks are closed for emergency work on lock 4.  There were hardly any pedestrians either.

Then we turned into the marina, where Paul admired the clean condition of the engine hole and the shiny windows.  Dave really likes to keep the engine clean and it’s nice for your efforts to be appreciated!  Paul assured us that Chuffed is eminently saleable (I suppose he would, wouldn’t he?) but we are nowhere near making our mind up yet.

So, with rain threatening we reversed out and took the first mooring past the entrance.  We expected few boats to be on the move, but we weren’t the only ones taking advantage for a quiet mooring.  As we secured the ropes the rain started in earnest so we retreated inside for a cuppa. We were really glad we hadn’t gone along to the other marina entrance to wind first or we would really have got soaked!

By 4.30 Meg was desperate for a walk, so, with the rain easing to a drizzle we got our waterproofs and walked up the locks to have a look at the work.  Nothing had been done yet, but it must have taken most of the day to get the work boats into place and erect the safety fencing – all the way from lock 3 to lock 4.

Lock 3

Lock 4

 And the pound between

Lock 4 I think is the one being repaired to ease water loss.  Restrictions on Watford, Foxton and Buckby flights have been in place for a while as the reservoirs are so low. I am writing this nearly 2 weeks later when there has been just a bit of rain …. I hope it has made a decent difference to water levels.

The Buffer's Lady is showing her bottom

It would have been very impolite to have failed to visit the Nelson. It was a bit early for a beer, so we had a bowl of chips to soak up the alcohol!  Jolly nice they were too.  

 

Unfortunately the rain started again as we left and we were a bit wet when we got back.  But the Mikuni fired up first time and we were soon warm and dry.

Just a mile and a half today.