Before I continue to bore you with news of this year’s cruise I must mention what happened the other day.
We returned to Sawley Marina on Friday as you know. We had intended taking the boat to the marina and then walking back to Trent Lock to collect Brian (the car). However by the time we got to the marina it was pissing down so we decided to leave him at Trent Lock until the weather was better.
Sunday we got up, breakfasted etc and got ready to go shopping. We wanted to go to the paint centre, fishing tackle shop and Asda. We left the boat, went to the car park to get in the car and ………….. no Brian!
Where was he? Oh yes, he was still at Trent Lock! Bugger, we had forgotten that we hadn’t collected him.
Anyway enough of our senior moments what of today? Well, we set off about 9am with the intention of getting to Weston today. However the best laid plans etc. Things went somewhat awry after we stopped for diesel and sanitary deeds.
While putting one of the full diesel containers into the gas locker Ken tipped one over but this was ok as the cap was tightly screwed on, or so we thought.
As we approached Derwent Lock Ken noticed some diesel on the water. Obviously we did have a leak from one of the containers and it was coming out of the scuppers from the gas locker.
There didn’t seem to be much but discretion was the better part of valour and we decided to stop at the top of the lock and have a look.
This entailed getting everything out of the gas locker which in itself created another job! As he got the full gas bottle out of the hatch Ken managed to knock off a bit of my new paint from the front of the boat.
However, as I have to redo the painting because it got stuck with flies while it was still wet when I did it this was not as big a disaster as it may have been and I just applied some red oxide ready for the repaint.
Another thing we discovered was that one of the gas bottles was practically empty and we could have changed it at the marina before we left had we have realised.
With the gas locker empty we surveyed the diesel spillage. Not too bad but it needed cleaning up. I would have to get in there and soak it up. Before I did this I decided that I would chuck a bucket of hot soapy water in there to dilute the diesel and then soak it up.
I stood on the front of the boat with said bucket of soapy water and proceeded to catch the bucket on the hatch opening and chuck most of it down my legs and over my feet! Deep joy!
Undaunted I leapt into the gas locker. I say leapt, I actually sort of levered myself through the opening armed with some sponges and cloths. I bopped down to start mopping up the water then discovered that I hadn’t got the bucket with me. I stood up but with me standing in the opening I couldn’t get the bucket in! To avoid having to get out again I half levered myself out so I was sitting on the edge of the hatch and by getting one leg out I could get the bucket in.
I then spent a happy (?) 20 minutes or so mopping the bottom of the gas locker. THis was a job which we had said we would need to do but I hadn’t anticipated doing it today.
After we had sorted everything out again we walked to Shardlow, about a mile, to yes you’ve guessed it, the pub!
When we got back from the pub Ken cooked the dinner and I cleaned the port side of the boat. It was filthy because it has been months since we were moored the right way round for me to do it. It needed quite a bit of t cutting as well. I also dabbed a bit of red oxide on the bit of paint Ken knocked off and another bit the chaps knocked off while removing one of our side hatches.
Tomorrow we are hoping to get to Swarkestone having abandonned the idea of stopping at Weston. We will then endeavour to paint under the gunwhales on the port side of the boat. At least that is the current plan!
