9
- 11 June 2006
Calcutt to Radford Semele & back
(16 miles, 40 locks, 12.5 engine hours)
Friends Jane & Mile are joining us for this trip - their first time on board Per Angusta. I'd worked out a number of different routes varying from virtually no locks to 40 locks and given Jane & Mike the choice. Their decision - to go the most energetic route.
Mike was working in the Midlands so Ian, Jane & I made our way up to the boat, where Mike would join us later in the day. Ian agreed to stay on board and do some housework after he had changed the gear box oil, whilst Jane and I went to provision up at Sainsbury's at Dunchurch.
Well stocked for the trip (except for disposable barbecues) we were on our way back to the marina and found ourselves in a traffic queue at the Dunchurch crossroads. We were 3 cars back from the traffic lights when we saw an old lady get out of the front car and stagger to the car behind - she almost fell into the oncoming traffic. The chaps in the car behind got out and helped her back into her car and then pushed her across the junction and into the side. They got back into their car and zoomed off. Jane & I decided that we ought to stop and see if the old lady was OK. I pulled up behind the car and Jane got out. I could see her leaning into the car and then looking round. She came back and said that the car had broken down and that the old dear was having problem with her oxygen supply!! Jane had managed to get the oxygen flowing again, by unkinking the hose.
The old lady said that her husband was at the chemist getting some medicine. Eventually, her husband returned and we finally got him to understand what had happened - once he turned on his hearing aid. I'd nearly lost the back off the car a couple of times with lorries coming round the corner, so I had moved it away but we managed to get the old couple into our car and take them to their home. The heat had been getting to them, so Jane got them glasses of cold water and made sure that they had a phone number to get the car sorted. They were very grateful for our help and bade us goodbye, with the warning shot never to get old!!
Back on board Per Angusta, we called Mike to see where he was to find he was still working on a hospital scanner, but expected to leave soon. We asked him to see if he could pick up a disposable barbecue on the way.
Mike eventually joined us on
board having picked up the requested barbecue; by the time he had a tour
of the boat it was a bit late so we decided to stay in the marina overnight.
Next morning we set off to Radford Semele; at Stockton Locks I began Mike's
introduction to locking technique whilst Jane kept the dogs under control.
We soon had a smooth system going along with the crew of the boat accompanying
us down the flight. The weather was hot, but not unbearably so, and Mike
found the energy to run between locks and help other crews.
We moored up for a late lunch and the footie; I read my book on deck whilst the others watched 22 men run round a grass field - as you may have guessed, I have no interest whatsoever in Glorious Game. Afterwards, we made our way down to the winding hole between Bull Bridge and Radford Road Bridge, turned and then moored for the evening.
For those of you who have read
the 'Build' part of this site, you may recall that when we were designing
Per Angusta we tried to design out all corners and sharp edges so that
we could avoid bumps and bruises. In our original plans, we had the microwave
and the cupboard above it facing down the boat, so that people wouldn't
bump their heads if the cupboard door was left open. However, we couldn't
find a microwave with the door hinged on the right; a microwave with the
door hinged left would, we thought, have created a hazard as it would
have been necessary to lean round the door to get hot food out. So we
had turned the unit through 90 degrees. 
Mike was making a cup of tea and opened the cupboard to get the mugs out. Unfortunately, he didn't close the door and Ian walked smack into it, hard enough to draw blood - our first accident on board. We have got into the habit of always closing that cupboard door even if only for a few seconds before opening it again.
We set ourselves up on the towpath ready for a barbecue.Mike (who is the
barbecue king amongst our friends) eventually got the barbecue glowing
to his satisfaction and we enjoyed some delicious chicken. Despite the
injury, we had a good evening with some great conversation.
After a peaceful night, we set off back up the Stockton Locks and, once again, Mike was very energetic along the towpath. Jane started off helping with the paddles but found that it put too much strain on her hips, so she supervised. We made very good progress up the locks, again we had company most of the way. The weather was glorious and we all enjoyed the sunshine.
Unfortunately,
Jane & Mike had some worries about what was going on at home; the
youngest of their cats had gone missing and was not responding to anyone
calling her in. Just as we were getting back to the marina, Jane got a
phone call to say that Candy had come home - she was a bit thin, but otherwise
OK. Relief all round.
We had done this trip last
year with Liz and Des in March. Looking back through the log I see that
we took 17.5 hours to do this trip then, compared to the 12.5 hours this
one had taken. I know that we were very quick through the locks both ways
but that can't be the only thing that shaved 5 hours off the journey.
The Grand Prix was on at Silverstone and Mike was doing his best not to
find out the result as he wanted to watch it when he got home. We had
decided to stay up on the boat overnight and not mix it with Grand Prix
traffic on either the M1 or the A5 so we waved Jane & Mike off late
afternoon. We hope that they enjoyed their first trip on Per Angusta and
will be back on board again soon.
We
enjoyed the sitting in the peace and quiet of the marina and watched the
sun go down. Next morning, we had an early visitor who must have wanted
a lift somewhere, but soon hopped off when she saw the dogs - luckily
before they saw her!
No more trips planned for the next few weeks, then an 'on & off' fortnight on board