Yesterday wasn’t as wet and windy as forecast. I say that, it certainly wasn’t windy and it did start off dry. Anyway, we decided to move to Willington and set off to travel the 3 miles and 1 lock in fairly pleasant conditions.
We would have made it all the way to Willington in the dry had we have left about half an hour sooner but as is our wont at the moment we didn’t get up very early!
So, just after negotiating Stenson Lock and with about 20 mins to go, the heavens opened and we arrived at Willington like a couple of drowned rats!
We had planned to go in the marina for diesel, water and a new gas bottle but we abandoned that idea and went straight to the village to moor up.
Our tardiness and reluctance to go down to the car park in the rain to see if the coal man was still there, meant we also abandoned our other idea which was to get a couple of bags of coal.
All these requirements will now have to be fulfilled at Shobnall Marina because today, despite the sub-zero temperatures and icy conditions we have moved again from Willington to Shobnall.
The first challenge was untying the boat as the ropes were frozen solid. I had to pour the washing up water over mine to soften it up enough to get it undone!
The next challenge was that it was a bit dodgy underfoot at the sanitary station and I nearly went arse over tit getting off the boat! I was very careful after that. Fortunately I only had one lock to do today.
It was very cold this morning and when we arrived at Shobnall I had to pour another bowl of water over my rope before I could tie up because it had refrozen!
It has warmed up a bit now. It’s funny how we look forward to a one or two degree rise in the temperature!
We will probably be here now for a couple of days.
