Back Home - Saturday 25th May 2013

A lovely sunny and calm morning meant that we could not stay in bed and so were up and off at 6.45 with June taking the boat down the three Hillmorton Locks. I love to see this old pickup parked next to the Bistro between the first and second locks.

We motored on passed just a few moored boats at the bottom of the locks and then saw that C&RT are putting in more Armco which will extend the existing visitor moorings which must get busy at peak periods like this bank holiday weekend.
As we went under Kent Road Bridge with its images of Rugby we came across “The 70’s Boat” which meant that we were nearing home.

There had been several land slips like this one along the stretch of canal to Clifton Wharf no doubt due to the wet weather we have had over the last year. Fortunately all trace of the fallen trees had been removed.

We came upon  Nb. Waiouru at about 7.45 am and I was going to say that they Tom and Jan were still asleep but having just read their blog I would have been wrong as they were up as early as  we were to go off on their travels but by car.

At Clifton wharf there is another section of Canal Art depicting the Railways of Rugby.

Making an early start meant that we had missed all the returning hire boats and only saw a couple of other boats on the move until we reached our marina when there was one coming out of the entrance as we arrived and another approaching the entrance as we went in. The marina seemed a hive of activity with lots of people getting their boats ready for the bank holiday run. Glad we are not out as it will be a busy time with all the nice weather being forecast.
As I was negotiating the turn into our mooring spot these swans came out with father, mother and a signet paddling away but mother had another 6 signets on her back tucked up under her wings. Later they marched across the roadway and down the field to the pools and started feeding in the shallow water.

Autumn Myst safely moored up on the pontoon after her 8 week run to Bath and back covering:-
Miles:                 366    
Locks:                297
Swing Bridges:    98  of which 38 were normally left open.
Tunnels:                8
Aqueducts:          26 small and 4 major ones (Dundas and Avoncliffe)

Once we were safely secured on the pontoon I walked the couple of miles into Brinklow and caught the No.585 bus to Coventry. A relief bus arrived and the driver said that she had just seen a bad accident between a motorcyclist and a car on the sharp bend where the road turns off for Easenhall. The bus calls at the University Hospital and we had to wait before we could go to the bus stop at the hospital entrance for the Air  Ambulance to land and take off as the helipad is adjacent to it. I wondered if the helicopter had any connection with the accident the driver had seen.
Arriving in Coventry I was going to have a look around whilst I waited for my next bus but it turned up before I could move away from the stop and so off I went back home to collect the car and return to the marina.
June had been cleaning the inside of the boat whilst I was gone and continued in the afternoon whilst I touched up a few of the battle scars from our trip to ensure that the rust did not take hold. Then we just enjoyed the lovely warm afternoon and evening chatting to our fellow boaters.