Slapton

Today's canal - Grand Union

Today was forecast to be windy, building up to the storms which have been forecast for tonight and tomorrow morning. Most of the day was bright and sunny, often warm but it turn unpleasant part way through the afternoon and we ended up soaked!

After we moored last night we checked out the possibility for church this morning and decided that Stoke Hammond at 9:30 was the nearest. We walked from the canal for about 20 minutes, up to the village and then to the church which is on the upper edge of the houses.

St Luke's Church, Stoke Hammond

It is a less usual design with a rather squat, heavy looking tower right in the middle, We knew that it was to be a lay-led morning prayer and that there would not be a large crowd - their web site is quite honest about that!

However, as soon as we walked up the pathway to the porch we were warmly welcomed by most of the people there. Eventually, a congregation of around 20 assembled and the service began. Nothing dramatic about it but it was well done and everyone felt relaxed and at home.

Canal Detail

 The main east window has come stained glass in it, dated 1931. The images include not only the church but also the bridge across the canal where we had walked from.

Afterwards we walked back to the boat, again in bright sunshine. we quickly changed and organised ourselves to set off. Although we did less than six miles by the time we moored for the night, it felt a lot more as the wind was now making navigation much harder than usual. Not only was the boat harder to handle, it required constant attention and adjustment to take account of the varying effect of the wind as it powered through gaps in trees and houses, as well as sometimes quite exposed stretches.

Soon after setting off we arrived at Soulbury Three Locks and a Wyvern hire boat was making ready to go up after filling with water at the tap below the locks. At busy times care is need with the two intermediate pounds even without the wind. They are short and passing boats coming the other way is not always easy.

Our plan was to swap one boat at a time - a scheme which the volunteer lock keeper also came to suggest. What makes for further complication is that in the open pound the wind was blowing us from right to left, but as soon as we came into a lock, it reversed as the wind reflected off the top edge of the empty lock!

In the end, with the useful help of the lock keeper - his last day for this season - we made it through in good time.

The stretch then to Leighton Lock, just on the outskirts of the town, was quite an effort, not helped by Mike forgetting that he had placed the map and Nicholson's guide book on the top of the roof. Of course, before long the wind caught it and into the water it went. Inside the map case they floated but, alas, Mike had also not fastened it up as tightly as he should have done as water did get inside - on other occasions the contents have kept dry.

The wind was removing the leaves from the trees at a fast pace. Many floated on the surface of the canal and are sucked into the propeller. They gradually build up and slow the boat down. Every so often - and at times it seemed every few minutes - it is necessary give a burst or two of reverse which throws the leaves out and normal speed resumes (for a while!) We wondered just how many will be left on the trees after tomorrow.

A boat's mooring just before the Wyvern Shipping base, obviously likes to know precisely where it is!

We pulled in to the Shopping Mooring outside Tesco where we first had our lunch and then went for a few more additions to our store cupboard.

A very short distance, just after the adjacent bridge, is the service stop. Unfortunately a boat was moored there and we could only pull in underneath the bridge to use the sani station. Christine noticed that a man standing by the boat was a CRT person who was in the process of reporting the boat to his supervisor as it had been there for three days. He had checked to see if there was anyone on board but could get no response not could he see anything suspicious. Perhaps the owner had gone away for a few days without realising where he had moored. (This is a difficult enough service stop at the best of times) So, if you are reading this and it is your boat, hurry back before it is clamped!

We carried on and although it was initially still very pleasant, heavy-laden rain clouds fast approached and by the time we were coming up Church Lock they started to unload. Fortunately, we finished and Christine was back under cover before the heavy stuff arrived in force but Mike was soon drenched! We were planning on only going as far as the next lock but kept an eye out for a good bank mooring, as sheltered as possible but not under any trees that might just lose a branch or two overnight. Just a little before Slapton Lock such a spot presented itself and with just a little relief we opted to take it! Time to 'batten down the hatches', light a fire and open a bottle of good wine!

5.9 miles - 6 locks