Return to Calcutt

Wednesday 5^th June: Braunston to Calcutt

This was a very peaceful mooring last night.  Just one boat on the move, and they were only going to get water before returning.  There was no unseemly rush first thing to get to the locks either as the locks are closed this week. I took this picture yesterday afternoon.  So quiet!

We were woken at daybreak by orange flappy feet slapping across the roof.  Luckily they weren’t crappy feet too, so no extra roof-washing today.  We didn’t get up though, as we are only going to Calcutt.  We knew that a rather splendid Dutch barge was being craned out of the marina, but by the time we reversed and winded in the marina entrance it was already on the low loader.

There was a dutch barge in that space

It is only going to London.  You would have thought the owners would have cruised down, but perhaps they are just going to live in on a permanent mooring somewhere.

and there is is on the low loader

Unfortunately by the time we decided to move, two other boats had had just had the same idea and were occupying the two water points.  But water could wait; we only needed the Elsan point this morning.  We turned left under the first junction bridge, unfortunately having to stop and wait when a bow suddenly appeared from the Napton direction causing us to drift in the wind and made it more difficult than it should have been.  Bow thrusters would have been very useful!

The sun was shining, but we’ve been along here so many times I didn’t take many photos.  Meg likes leaning on the steerer as we cruise; unfortunately she leans on the Morse control at the same time, so revs drop unexpectedly according to the level of cuddle she requires.

A pair of tufted duck were floating about, but there was no sign of ducklings.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tufty duckling.

Mrs ....

 ... and Mr

It was cloudy by the time we arrived at Calcutt locks, but not raining.  We stopped on the water point to fill up – you need to reverse into the visitor moorings here and the taps are not close.  Luckily there were plenty of boats on their way up the locks, so we had an easy descent before turning into the marina.

The visitor moorings are in the workshop area, which is much more sheltered than the main marina moorings, so the rising wind didn’t cause a problem as Dave neatly reversed in.  The workshop was busy; as we packed up an engineer was servicing a nearby boat and NB Merlin had just been tractored out and the hull was being jet-washed.

We had rather a slow journey home, but thankfully it only rained once.  We are not sure when we will be back – we have a lot of commitments at home.

6 miles, 3 locks