Saturday 3 October 2009

Thrupp to Dukes Cut and back

The main aim today was to varnish the rest of the main cabin. Soon after breakfast the contents were cleared to other parts of the boat (which became impassable as a result!) There was nothing special about this task and with both Andrew and Mike on the job it progressed well.neverthless it was still lunch time before it was finished.

By hasl past one we were ready to set off - we needed to go as far as Duke's Cut in order to wind - three locks down. The first stretch was very slow. Not only a lot of moored boats but very shallow. We thought that we had something around the prop by the time we arrived at the first lock but it seems likely, based on our return expeireince, that it was just the lack of depth and several shallow banks.

After passing through Duke's Lock, Andrew turned the boat around at the junction and we made out way back up again.

At bridge 224, Christine jumped off to visit the Co-Op to acquire a few extra stores - and lock for some more doughnuts as we had made inroads into some she purchased this morning - they really should have been for the girls visit tomorrow!

It looked at first as if we might have a problem with mooring - the paces by the pub were all taken. However, amazingly, the space we left earlier was still empty and we were able to moor as planned.

Andrew finished off giving the rear steps a further coat of his special floor varnish. Should last well. Whilst Mike prepared the evening meal, Andrew and Christine went by car in search of some more varnish - this is turning out to be quite a consumable!

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