A bit more of a push, but still can't make that damned turn.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

(Post for Thursday 22 August)

Faking it! (second attempt at the turn at Hawkesbury)

Yesterday had put us back on the schedule we had broadly planned when expecting to go to Alvecote with both boats - so with only one, we should have course easily been able to stick to that schedule.

 

Hawkesbury again, after the turn and now on the Coventry canal

However it was starting to become apparent that this would easily be the biggest Alvecote gathering to date, and it seemed increasingly tempting to make the final day of travel shorter at the expense of going further today.  We seemed to actually be bettering timings taken from CanalPlanAC - fairly unusual when travelling with Flamingo - so we decided going to half way down Atherstone locks today should still not present us with a particularly long day.  This would allow a shopping stop as part of overnighting, and avoid the need to do one during the day.

How can they possibly see where they are going?

There is very little to report really, other than it is a very long while since we have passed quite so many hire boats on the move - it certainly looks like programs like Tim and Pru's offerings or "Minor celebrities go mad on a barge", (or whatever it is called), have resulted in a boost for the hire boat industry.  At one point we encountered 7 of them queued up all waiting to tackle the same bridge hole, but fortunately they were travelling in the other direction to us. Almost immediately after I was surprised by going around a bend, and finding one on our side of the canal, but "parked" in the bushes.

The Atherstone flight is easy to work through unless very busy.

Once again I failed to "get around in one" at the 180 degree turn at Hawkesbury Junction - as usual it all looked to be going fairly well, but, (also as usual!), I ran out of canal.  Disappointingly this time  I ran out of canal sooner than usual, so not only am I not managing it, I'm actually getting worse it seems.  I'm not totally convinced it is totally my own ineptitude, (although it may be!), as Flamingo is by no means the same as either bringing an empty or a fully loaded boat around.

Max waits patiently at the same lock.

Things quietened down from this point, with far less hire boats.

 

Cath was "setting ahead", whilst David worked the locks I was in.

We reached Atherstone with ease, and there were moorings half way down at the best place for access to the shops.  The record shows we did it a fair bit faster than the planner shows, despite sheer weight of traffic. I was also pleased that my performance around the snaky bends at Mancetter was by far my best to date, sailing easily around reverse curves that have caught me out in the past - it seems that that we do definitely improve in some areas, (even if that doesn't yet include "round in one" at Hawksbury!).

All Oaks (near Brinklow) to Atherstone
Miles 19.7, Locks: 6
Total Miles 45.2, Total Locks:22