Easter was very early this year, which means that our Easter Cruise may have to be curtailed or altered due to adverse weather or canal / river conditions.
In preparation, a few weeks ago, David and I took nb Chyandour from Wombourne to Oxley Marine for various small jobs and a new leisure battery. Then two weeks ago, I brought the boat from Oxley Marine to Withymoor Island at Netherton so that I could start the main cruise on Easter Sunday afternoon.
And that is what I did this afternoon. After the Easter worship at both churches, I was able to finish loading the boat and get away by 1.40pm.
There was a bit of floating ice, but nothing to be too worrying. I had to rethink this a bit at the North end of Netherton Tunnel where the ice was from side to side between the tunnel end and the aqueduct. Fortunately there was no depth to it, so I could move forward quite easily.
The journey really was uneventful and I met only two boats going the other way.
For various reasons we wanted to moor around Cambrian Basin and there was an empty space at the end which was just the right size. So I winded and reversed in and was moored up by 5.05pm.
Our friends in nb Epiphany are moored just a few berths along, and I was able to spend a couple of hours with them over a drink and a cream scone after they returned from their day out.
I think I will sleep well tonight!
