Wintery pictures

The frozen canal from the bridge by the Folly Inn Napton Jan09


Napton Junction bridge from the entrance to our marina with the canal frozen over about 4inches thick Jan 09

Simon and Debs had three of my pictures - two from last year trip and one from our trip down the Thames in 2005 - framed for our Christmas present probably to go in the hall or the dining room at home.

Looking down the Grand Union from Bucky Top Lock which shows how deep these ponds are so that they have sufficient water for the flight of wide locks. I went looking for my lost mooring hook but couldn't find it- somebody got there before me.

We did see a few moorhens around and I wondered how they coped when the canal is suddenly emptied, as the drop from the sides is a good 4/5feet in places. Do they suddenly wake up from their overnight nest spot and fall to the bottom wondering whats going on - where's the water ,nobody told me I must contact BW!!!!!!

Winter trips to the boat

Due to illness - man flu for me and a cold for Anne we didn't manage to get to the boat between Christmas and New Year. We eventually came up on Sunday 4th January - it was very cold minus5 inside the boat and the marina frozen solid with it going down to minus8 during the night. Didn't take the boat out but did manage a few jobs although we need to do some serious restaining/waxing where condensation has marked the light oak wood.

We went up again last week 12 February when it was not as cold inside the boat only 0 but the marina was still frozen and lots of snow still on the ground.

I will post a few photographs of the frozen surroundings and some of the dewatered Buckby flight which is closed until the beginning of March09.