I thought we weren't moving!

Wednesday 29th April 2015

With a forecast of wind and rain for today, we had more or less made up our minds that we wouldn't be moving today, and the predictions came true just after 8 am with some driving rain - heavy at times, and very cold outside.

At least there wasn't the snow that Dot and Gordon as well as Elaine and Paul had been getting around the Macc.

So Diane was settled in bed comfortable and warm, well supplied with coffee and reading material; I had plenty to get through as well.

After breakfast we decided that we needed to send a few cards - one birthday and one for Mothers Day in Australia (2nd Sunday in May), which meant a short walk by recent standards - about 1/2 a mile, but it did mean that we found a nice long row of shops that we hadn't seen before.
Amongst them were a couple of laundrettes, which got Diane thinking. Instead of running the engine just to do some washing she would take care of the two loads with another walk back to here.

So once again I was left on my own - today we had made sure about BSL and tablets before letting her out.

An hour and a half later it was all done, with most already dry; the weather had also improved so we weighed up some options about what we might do.
Filling the water tank didn't rank high on the list, even though it was 6 days since the last fill, there was still over half a tank left - we did however smell a bit because of that.

Eventually we thought we might just cruise down a few miles towards Black Horse Bridge - firstly as part of the journey to the junction where there was an elsan services block - eventually what goes in will come out and fill up the cassette - again it wasn't a high priority but might be by early next week; secondly we thought a change of scenery would be nice as well; and thirdly we would just check out to see if the water point at the bridge was now working - which it turned it was (so we did fill up).

Along the way we were also thinking that we should moor within an easy walk of an underground station because we would be heading towards Paddington/Little Venice to see the IWA Cavalcade.

Black Horse Bridge is about the limit, after which we thought that we are nearing more of the National Rail stations which don't use the Oyster Card, so after filling the tank we decided to wind - the winding hole being right there as well.
Diane took control of the tiller to turn Ferndale around - something she has done many times before, but never with a boat in the near vicinity (well actually it was on moorings in the hole as well) - and it was a wide-beam with the occupants on there.
 

Looking well pleased with herself after winding.
The wide-beam (left) and winding hole (right) now behind her.

Well so proficient was she that you would be hard pressed to know that she wasn't a professional - expertly around without a care at all.
The wide-beam was safe, the bird life were safe, even the drinkers in the pub garden were safe. After that we headed back to a new spot we had seen earlier - the problem was the fat-backside of Ferndale wouldn't clear the bottom and we cruised on for another 1/2 mile where we have found a nice peaceful spot for the next couple of days.
 

We just feel that this boat should have been painted red

A dead parrot you say - dead or not, this is a big one

3 Miles
YTD: 312 Miles, 180 Locks, 6 Tunnels, 2 Lift Bridges, 11 Swing Bridges
Totals: 3206 Miles, 2301 Locks, 104 Tunnels, 36 Lift Bridges, 162 Swing Bridges