To the Marina

and beyond. Well not beyond as we entered the Marina round the very hard right hand bend after the last lock and then I did a beautiful reverse onto my mooring spot. All the time I was doing it I thought "any minute now it will all go pear shaped" but it didn't and Mick from the Chesterfield Canal Trust was there to greet us and take my mooring line off me. He had also met us by the Lockkeeper Pub and assisted with that and the next lock whilst viewing the boat in between locks. His verdict? A whole lot left still to do ...

However it is now on the water and we have got 7.1 engine hours under our belt.

The fisherman on the Chesterfield Canal are indeed a strange lot requesting that we stir up the bottom as much as possible. This then meant I had a near disaster as Rob and Small Boy were marching off to the next lock I realised that a fountain of water was entering my previously bone dry bilges. I managed to call them back and drift into the side and throw ropes. With the help of scissors from a fisherman I was able to clear the debris around the prop and when replacing the weed hatch lid I realised that if you don't get it exactly right there can be a gap you can get your finger in despite it being locked in position. Perhaps I hadn't closed it properly in the morning and all that revving for the fisherman coupled with the debris had pushed the water through the gap. Good job really that we do not have a proper floor installed or I might not have spotted the problem until it was too late.

Mikuni Man had conveniently left his big bag of rags so when we arrived at the mooring they were utilised in mopping up much of the water. The bilge pump I can drop into the two little back bays but not into the main bilges. I have brought the rags back and washed and dried them.

The Chesterfield Canal is very shallow and we got stuck several times. I wish I had put two lengths of wood on the boat (part of the painting framework) but at least I had remembered to put one on or we could still be stranded somewhere between Ranby and Osberton Lock!

We had a lovely sunny day for the trip and arrived at the Marina just before it got dark. We were all tired and hungry so when we returned to the Chequers to pick up one car we decided to eat there as well as have a celebratory drink.

We got home and I am embarressed to admit that all three of us were in bed by 8.30 and probably asleep by 9! Small boy included!

Today I finished off the mopping so hopefully the bilges can revert to their dry status again. We have one leak in the water cooling system which Rob may or may not have sorted. I will ask Mel to double check everything.

Whilst mopping the bilges I was concerned to find a green washer, spring clip and nut. Obviously being green these had come off the engine. Eventually we found where and have reinstated them.

The piggy box is still leaking the other two appear fine.