Systeme D

2 October 2006

Ah, Iago, my friend



We had our first outing in Iago Prytherch at the weekend. Sawley to Horninglow (in Burton) on Saturday - Anna, Kathryn and me - then the final mile single-handed to our mooring in Shobnall Basin today. The pic above is us waiting to pass through the lock at Shardlow. (Shortly before that we'd made the first of several discoveries: no, the mast will not fit under low road bridges. Fortunately we noticed just in time, reversed, puzzled over how to take it down, figured it out, tried again.)

I'm not used to 40ft. It's lovely. Single-handing usually gives me the heebie-jeebies, but today, Iago went into locks without touching, and turned into the basin no problem. I can get used to this.

The chaps at the boatyard which fixed our engine bearers (JBJ Marine at Sawley) were enormously impressed by the real awooga-style klaxon. We're slowly discovering this and various other surprises.

Lunch on Saturday at the Crewe & Harpur Arms in Swarkestone - crazy name, fairly normal pub. The free plate of tortilla chips would have been a nice touch. If I could eat them. (Yay - I had the steel arch bars removed from my mouth at the John Radcliffe this morning. All that remains is to get my teeth sorted out.)

There are eight zillion Canaltime boats at Sawley. Probably 50% of the boats on the move, on a fairly busy Saturday, were Canaltime. Now, you expect 50% of the boats on the little-used Rochdale or the HNC to be Shire Cruisers, but to have one company dominating the eastern T&M in such a way? I was quite taken aback.

Next challenge: fitting this in the saloon.


Comments

Has anybody received a christmas greeting from abacus/canaltime!!!!!! Is your name on the list?

WHAT DO YOU THINK mark.savill2@ntlworld.com

Posted by Mark savill on 4.12.07 08:39


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