On Sunday morning we
realised that our mooring was not as good as we had thought. It had
been difficult to bang in mooring pins satisfactorily the day before,
but I had been content finally to sink them deep in the ground behind
a concrete slab which ran along the water's edge. All pulling on the
ropes would be exerted against this slab, and it seemed very secure.
Not so. Boats passing too close and too fast caused increasing
movement of Kantara, until eventually a pin actually pulled out, and
the stern of the boat swung out into the canal. We sighed, and moved
on.
The onward journey took
us through Hillmorton Locks which, very unusually, feature three
pairs of single width locks, the second set having been added some
six or seven years after the canal was opened, to accommodate the
increased, heavy traffic which was using the canal.
We needed to buy food,
and there is a Tesco not far from the canal in Rugby. Stopping for
water just before that, and after some struggling to moor firmly at a
spot where the bank was breaking up and pinning was a challenge, we
found that some sad character had removed from the taps the nozzles
needed to attach a hose. Taking on water there was impossible, so we
moved on to a spot where we could moor securely on rings, and went
shopping.
Being moored to rings,
we could stay here safely overnight, and enjoyed a peaceful stopover.
Only five lock miles covered today, but we were very tired by the end
of it!
I'm sure I recognise that lock...
ReplyDeleteGlad you've had some sunshine. We haven't had any here. *sniff*