Journal

Good bye Kingswood…

It’s 29 June and we said good bye to Kingswood Basin and the people there. The sky was grey and so was the water. It wasn’t easy the last few days with Quintessence are upon us. The boater life is about to end, abruptly.

We started early and headed towards Hatton Locks, as a first hurdle we had to pass 21 wide locks, good we went downwards. We had a boat ahead of us, meaning we can team up with them. It’s easier to work those locks together, which we did and off we went, down the first lock.

It all went smoothly until we were supposed to start the engine to steer out of the lock. Only a sad puff puff puff was heard from ours. It wouldn’t start, Quintessence was on strike. This was a difficult moment, what now?

The only thing we could do was to double up with our fellow boaters who were really kind and agreed. It wasn’t best practice to do such a thing as it makes navigation in the lock basins difficult for boats coming from the bottom, but we had no other choice.

The good news was that we did the locks in just about two hours, that was probably some kind of a record breaking time. At least for our fellow boaters… for us navigating the Hatton Locks was the first and the last time.

We had to call the canal emergency and fix a point where a technician could come and look at the engine. We agreed to wait just before the Saltisford Arm where our fellow boaters had their fixed mooring, they kindly pulled us all the way there. The technician came and fixed the problem within 10 minutes! An electrical wire connected to the engine was loose, that was it. Silly but nonetheless – better such an easy issue than a major one. And we continued cruising. It was drizzling most of the day, the weather suited our mood it seemed.

We found a beautiful mooring, out in the country side, only one boat was there too. We kept a good distance so as not to disrupt the peace of the other boater. It was a chilly night and Natascha was cold. She could have done with the stove on even though it was the end of June.

Morning glory near Stockton, that’s what is truly beautiful about being on a boat, such sceneries. Simply divine.

Standard
Journal

Good bye Kingswood…

It’s 29 June and we said good bye to Kingswood Basin and the people there. The sky was grey and so was the water. It wasn’t easy the last few days with Quintessence are upon us. The boater life is about to end, abruptly.

We started early and headed towards Hatton Locks, as a first hurdle we had to pass 21 wide locks, good we went downwards. We had a boat ahead of us, meaning we can team up with them. It’s easier to work those locks together, which we did and off we went, down the first lock.

It all went smoothly until we were supposed to start the engine to steer out of the lock. Only a sad puff puff puff was heard from ours. It wouldn’t start, Quintessence was on strike. This was a difficult moment, what now?

The only thing we could do was to double up with our fellow boaters who were really kind and agreed. It wasn’t best practice to do such a thing as it makes navigation in the lock basins difficult for boats coming from the bottom, but we had no other choice.

The good news was that we did the locks in just about two hours, that was probably some kind of a record breaking time. At least for our fellow boaters… for us navigating the Hatton Locks was the first and the last time.

We had to call the canal emergency and fix a point where a technician could come and look at the engine. We agreed to wait just before the Saltisford Arm where our fellow boaters had their fixed mooring, they kindly pulled us all the way there. The technician came and fixed the problem within 10 minutes! An electrical wire connected to the engine was loose, that was it. Silly but nonetheless – better such an easy issue than a major one. And we continued cruising. It was drizzling most of the day, the weather suited our mood it seemed.

We found a beautiful mooring, out in the country side, only one boat was there too. We kept a good distance so as not to disrupt the peace of the other boater. It was a chilly night and Natascha was cold. She could have done with the stove on even though it was the end of June.

Morning glory near Stockton, that’s what is truly beautiful about being on a boat, such sceneries. Simply divine.

Standard