Having Visitors at the Saltisford Arm

Saturday 27^th June

Jon, Kev, Davina and James

Me with Jon, Davina and James

When we got up this morning, the sun was shining and it was already really warm.  Jon, Davina and James arrived about 10.30am and we all had brunch together which we cooked.  It was really great to see them and to catch up.  Outside our boat there are picnic tables and seats so as it was such a glorious day we sat outside and chatted, then had a walk around the Canal centre.

We waved them off about 1.30pm.  It was great they were able to call by and see us as we had a lovely time with them as always.

We went for a walk in the afternoon up to the Cape of Good Hope pub, it is right by one of the cape locks, we sat in the garden and watched a few boats go through the lock, then headed back to our boat.

Thrush with beak full of worms

Our friendly Thrush

We looked out of the window in the early evening and on the grass right near the boat was a thrush digging away for worms.  He must be feeding babies as he kept getting a beak full of worms, flying off with them and then coming back for more.  He was very tame and when people walked by, he didn’t fly off.  It was so lovely to see a thrush at such close quarters.

We are staying here tomorrow as well, then chugging off on Monday.

Coventry Road Visitor Moorings to Saltisford Arm, Warwick (Grand Union Canal)

It was spitting to rain when we were ready to chug off this morning, but it didn’t come to anything and soon the sun was shining and it was very warm.  We chugged off up the canal to the two cape locks.  A boat was coming the other way and had just come through the lock so that was lucky as it was set for us.  I opened the gate and Kev came in and soon the boat was up and Kev was chugging onto the next lock which is by the Cape Pub.  There was a chap on the lock and he opened the gate for us while I was still walking up to the lock.  We thought he must be coming down, but he said he was moored at the top and just liked helping people, so he helped me with the lock, that was nice of him.  We said thanks and chugged off up the canal.

Guess who's coming towards us?

We were not that far from the Saltisford Arm, where we are going to moor, and a chap was coming along the towpath.  As he passed us, he said watch out, Prue and Tim are on their way and laughed.  We thought does he mean the real Prue and Tim or just that there was a boat coming that was going fast!

Hi Prue

Hi Tim

We went a bit further along the canal and a boat was coming the other way and guess what it was Prunella Scales and Timothy West with their son and a film crew.  Prue was sat in the front with their son and one of the film crew but we don’t think he was filming.  Prue waved and said hi as they went past, Tim was at the back with a lady and some film crew, we don’t know who the lady was but she was sat down and was talking into the camera.  Tim shouted good morning as we went by and I managed to get a few photos.  That made my day seeing them and you never know you might see us and our boat on their next program if we managed to get in on any of the shots, but knowing our luck if we did, we will end up on the cutting room floor!!

Entering the Saltisford Arm

Warwick with Castle in distance

We chugged on round the corner and into the Saltisford Arm where we moored up.  We got a really good sunny spot just before the winding hole by the open space and picnic tables.  

Market square in Warwick

We walked up to the town in the afternoon, it is a very nice place lots of individual shops and a nice market square.  We walked to the castle gates but didn’t go in as you really need a full day to go around it, maybe next time. We wandered around a bit more, went to the Sainsburys and then back to the boat. We had a bit of rain when we were in the town, but it soon went over and the sun came back out.

We are staying here until Monday as tomorrow Jon, Davina and James are visiting friends in the area and are calling by to see us first, so really looking forward to that.

Moored in the Saltisford Arm

Delta Marine Services to Coventry Road Visitor Moorings, Warwick (Grand Union Canal)

Gary had a look at the calorifier and it was good news, he had been able to fix it where he thought the leak was coming from and tested the coil and it was okay, so he put it back in the boat and we turned on the water, but alas it was leaking from somewhere else and we all decided in the end that a new calorifier was required, we were all disappointed that it couldn’t be fixed but couldn’t be helped at least he tried.

He was going to get the new one from Midland Chandlers in Braunston as that is where our original one came from and it was quicker for him to go and fetch it and take the old one with him so we got the same one again so the fixings wouldn't have to be changed rather than have it couriered over and the possibility of them sending the wrong one.  

Passing over the River Avon

We went out for a walk while he was gone and walked up the canal to the Tesco and had a coffee in Costa, then walked back.  Gary was back and was fitting the new one. A while later it was all done and tested.  We are now the proud owners of a new calorifier but our pockets are now a whole lot lighter and  I think bread and jam is on the cards for a while!!

Leaving aqueduct at Warwick

Late afternoon we left the boat yard and went up the canal, over two aqueducts and turned in the winding hole.  We were going to moor at the Lidl just by the winding hole but the moorings were full and we did try to get in on the bank but we were scrapping so decided not to bother and headed back down the canal, past Delta Marine Services and moored a little further up at the Coventry Road Visitor Moorings which are opposite Kate Boats.

We will stay here tonight then chug on tomorrow.

Moored at Coventry Road Visitor Moorings

Hatton to Delta Marine Services, Warwick (Grand Union Canal)

Wednesday 24th June

Kev spoke to the boat yard yesterday and they said they would look at the calorifier if we went down, so we decided to go down there today.  Where we were moored, last night a boat came and moored in front of us going the same way, so I went and asked them if they were planning to go down the flight the next morning and if so, did they want to pair up, they said that would be good.  They are called Kevin and Alex and their boat is Christal Haze.

Entering Hatton Top Lock

We checked to see if Alex and Kevin were ready and we all set off at 8.30am.  As the leak on our calorifier was the pipe going to the engine, we asked them if we could tie the boats together to go through the locks.  Alex would be steering and she said she hadn’t done that before but would give it a go and then Kev could help with the locks as well so hopefully would make our passage quicker and easier.

Locks Galore!!

We got to the top lock, tied the boats together and in Alex went and all was working okay until we came to about the third lock down.  Kev and I opened the gates to let Alex out and my side opened okay but Kev’s only opened ¾ of the way and no matter how hard he shoved, pushed and swore it wouldn’t open so after about 10 minutes we decided the only way out was to untie the boats and take them out one at a time, so Kev climbed down in and him and Alex untied and brought the boats out.  

Nearly down the Hatton Flight

We thought we would have one more go at taking them in together so we tied them back together and that’s how they stayed until we go to the bottom of the flight.

Last lock of Hatton flight, hurray!!

We went down the flight quite quickly and smoothly, we had a good routine going and Alex and Kevin were really nice and we were very grateful to them for helping us as it relieved the worry of the engine overheating.

In Cape Lock

We went through the two cape locks with them and then we stopped for lunch and they carried on.

Kev rang the boat yard and they said to come along and he would look at the calorifier so we chugged a bit further along the canal and tied up at the boat yard.

The boat yard is Delta Marine Services and the owner is Gary Ward.  He came and looked at the calorifier and said he would get it out and if it can be repaired, he would do that tomorrow morning and if not, he would fit a new one.  He let the engine cool down for a bit, then within an hour the calorifier was out on the side, very impressive as it took Kev two hours to repair one joint which still leaked!

We are mooring in the boat yard tonight.

Moored at Delta Marine Services