Hello

I have not written this blog since I finished my cruise back in August and have been told off for it! But being that it is a cruising blog, I don't tend to have much to say when I'm on my mooring.
However I am out on a mini cruise to prepare for Autumn. I have gone to Kings Bromley Marina to fill my boat and diesel cans with fuel, pumped my poo tank out and got a spare gas cylinder.

I usually go up monthly even in the winter, but last year I very nearly hurt myself very badly from slipping on wet leaves and putting one leg down between boat and concrete.  It is also not particularly pleasurable cruising through leaves while they are lying thick on the surface of the canal. I have to constantly stop and reverse in order to empty my weedhatch and it is slow going. Add to that wind and rain and it just turns in to a chore.

So I am experimenting this winter. I am going to see how hard it is to stay put and bring what I need to the boat. I have a manual pump out kit (no, I don't pump out into the cut, I have barrels for the purpose!) I have my diesel cans which hold 40 litres and can be refilled at the marina. And I have enough gas to last till Spring. The coal boat should start coming past the mooring fairly soon but I need to add to my wood store.

When I was working full time, my 2 days cruising to fill and empty were a treat that I would risk injury for. But now I am lucky enough to cruise the season, the thrill has rather worn off!

Talking of the darker seasons, I always try to last till October before I have my first fire of the season. Today though was wet until I moored up and chilly too so I gave in.

All dried out and toasty warm. Non boaters often ask me how I cope with a cold winter on a boat. I tend to tell them that I cope by opening all my windows and by wearing a tea shirt! It is such a small area to heat that once the woodburner is going the problem tends to be getting too hot, rather than too cold!

We are moored in the woods for the night. The picture above shows a flicker of sunshine but that only appeared briefly at around 4pm. Tomorrow we return down the flight and cruise to Alrewas to turn so I am facing the right way on my mooring, so just the 10 locks to do!