A tad breezy today

 Friday 25^th September; Pitchcroft to Commandery

It was blowing hard this morning and cold too.  It was dry though, so Dave had a go at doing some painting on the starboard side.  But the wind was drying the paint too quickly, and then he realised that the wind was also drying the mud on the mooring, and dust had started flying about, so that was that.  Noise and vibration had started again, and this was the cause.

I went up on the bridge to take the photo.  Then Meg and I went to play ball on the racecourse while Dave put his painting things away.

Now it was time for a bit of cruising.  We set off about 11 and started upstream to give the engine a bit of exercise as we’ve not done a lot recently!  The sun was glorious but the wind was freezing – woolly hats, fleeces and an insulated mug for my coffee were called for.  We didn’t want to go up Bevere lock, so before it came into sight we turned round in a (slightly) sheltered spot and made our way back downstream – at twice the speed and much warmer now with the wind on our backs.  I suspect this will be the last time we see the unrenovated Sabrina bridge.

The swans were crowding round the steps at the swan sanctuary but they were not being fed, rather two swans were being returned to the water; we supposed they must have been injured or had some other problem that needed sorting.

We had been watching a swan preening as we had breakfast this morning, and it was nearly doing a porpoise roll as it wetted its back, waving its feet in the air.  I tried to get a picture of another later on but was too late.  Instead I  thought I might get a photo of it taking off and flying away –

But it decided against it and closed its wings again.  I zoomed in on the cathedral tower to get some of the statues, but have no idea if they are saints, bishops or martyrs.  I wanted to say the tower was gleaming in the sun, but it's not really, is it!

We were able to turn easily and moor on the pontoon below the locks to get back onto the canal.

But it was very tricky getting into the lock as the flow and the wind were both pushing Chuffed downstream.  We stopped for water (Mr Selfish who had been there before had gone) and to empty a cassette, and moved along to moor for lunch.  Dave then hauled out the empty gas bottle and wheeled it round to the little chandlery, only to discover it was closed till 3.  So back he went at 3 – this time, to find he could only pay cash.  We pooled everything we had and just managed to scrape together £35.50.  Back again …. eventually we were up Sidbury lock with a new gas bottle, and mooring by the Commandery.  Dave did a different bit of painting – it looks as though the abortive effort this morning will have to be rubbed down and done again.  The paintwork, especially below the gunwales, all has a coating of fine dust now.  It was cold enough tonight to light the fire.  A boat came past at 8.30 – it was well and truly dark as well as cold – and went down the lock.

The new pub closing time of 10 pm has come into force.  At bedtime there was a lot of traffic noise from the bridge, and a bit of shouting but not much, and by 10.30 it had all gone quiet.

5½ miles, 3 locks