Saturday 1 June 2013

We survived Nuneaton

Against all odds we managed to cruise through Nuneaton without incident or stopping. For Nuneaton read Birmingham, For Birmingham read previous blogs. There is one word to describe both...avoid.
The Anchor we ate at last night had a beer garden full of tattooed individuals and pit bull terriors. Inside it was ok and the food excellent. Nuneaton also appears to be populated by pit bull terriors and tattooed humans (I use the word with hesitation).  Apart from that the remainder of the Coventry canal was brilliant.  Hawkesbury Junction is unique on the canal system as it has the sharpest U turn you are ever likely to encounter, which has to be undertaken in front of the Greyhound pub and dozens of slightly sozzled gongoozlers. I managed the manoeuvre without problem and had to wait for entry to the stop-lock ( only 4 inches deep and originally used to collect tolls between connecting canals). Thereafter we were on the North Oxford canal, badly maintained by British Waterways before they dropped the lot on the new Canal and River Trust charity, who have a lot of work to do before the canal is of an acceptable standard. Although it is very scenic there is a chronic shortage of mooring places and the footpaths are awful. We cruised past the other Ansty (note the missing E) and Stretton Stop before mooring for the night amongst some long-term moorers. Next door is an Australian just split-up from his girl friend , Margaret informs me. He seems quite normal compared with your average boater who come in all shapes,sizes and mental states.  The day has been endlessly warm and sunny.
I feel really well and relaxed, apart from a badly bruised knee, having been attacked by a windlass at one of the many locks tackled yesterday. This relaxing lark is really knackering. The TV picture is crap so for entertainment we have been watching a mother duck and her very young brood of 11 ducklings, 5 yellow and 6 dark. We wonder what she had been up to whilst courting?




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