Thursday 15 September 2016

Two days in one.

We started off in thick mist this morning. It was supposed to clear by eight but hung around for a long time. Sheila even had the tunnel light on for the first half hour or so. We'd planned, as you know, to stop at Burston today and carry on to Tixall tomorrow, but a look at the forecast for Friday suggested that a day off cruising was indicated. Tixall being better than Burston for hanging around, we tightened our locking belts and went for it. I worked us down the Stone flight and Aston lock, then took over the helm when we got to the Burston mooring.

This gave Sheila Sandon, Weston and Hoo Mill to do. It was just after twelve when we'd got down Weston, so I went below and ate lunch whilst Sheila steered. Sheila was able to get hers in instalments before and after Hoo Mill and I think supervised the turn onto the Staffs and Worcs still munching.

That turn means that we've finished the Four Counties Ring, of course, just six weeks after starting it. Well, that's a lot more pleasant than doing it in six days, which is what the hirers actually have to achieve when they do the "Four Counties in a week" bit.

Talking of sixes, today's boating took nearly six hours, a serious stretch for us.

This afternoon, we've visited the Farm Shop to get the ingredients for one last salad tonight before this amazingly warm weather breaks and we're back to the normal September stuff. We'll stay here on Tixall tomorrow and then plod on to Brindley Bank on Saturday.

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