The final cruise

Roofless Armitage tunnel

After breakfast we prepared to move off. Concerned about the boat alarm the Captain took the helm. As usual when moving the boat to a new location I saw him out of the marina. As he was about to turn onto the cut a narrowboat appeared through the overgrown foliage. I signalled halt. By the time our boat had drifted to a stop the boat on the cut emerged from the Captain’s blind spot and chugged by.

Collision avoided I waved him on and walked to the car with the dog. I took my time driving to Armitage as the boat would take much longer. I parked by the 7 foot wide tunnel in a handy canal side car park and walked through the tunnel to meet our boat at the other side. Boaters are asked to send a crew member on ahead to make sure no boat is in the tunnel to avoid an impasse in the middle as the bend makes it hard to see through.

Our boat approached as another narrow boat entered the tunnel. I signalled the Captain to stop. A red faced woman ran along the tunnel towpath waving her arms frantically.

half way to Wolsley Bridge

“Stop!” she yelled “boat coming!” the Captain nodded. “My wife did tell me,” he remarked as he stepped off onto the towpath.

The woman seemed confused as I had strolled through from her side.

After her boat had cleared the tunnel our boat passed though and moored just beyond the car park.

“Every thing okay?” I asked.

“Fine he replied “no problems, the alarm didn’t go off.”

She wants you to change your mind about selling her,” I replied.

Over a leisurely lunch the Captain decided to head to Wolsley Bridge to moor for the night.

“There’s plenty of mooring there but where will we park the car?” the Captain asked.

“Perhaps the pub will let us park overnight there if we eat there,” I replied.

close to the night's mooring

“Good idea, I’ll meet you there.”

You take the car; I’ll drive the boat,” I replied. “I’m going to enjoy my last cruise.”

“Will you be all right through the narrow bit?”

“I’ll be fine,” I replied.

The Captain cast off and walked with Lottie to the next bridge to see me through that one as it was on a sharp bend. I would have to negotiate a worse one alone. Lottie was reluctant to return to the car. The Captain would take about 20 minutes to drive to Wolsley Bridge whereas it would take me an hour and a half to meet him.

I enjoyed being alone at the helm. I met another boat in the narrow stretch near the town centre as we passed moored boats but slid Fine Chance between the moored boats and on coming boat with a couple of inches each side.

moored up

Shortly after the aqueduct I spotted one Lurcher leading the Captain towards me. The Lurcher had clearly been taking a dip in the canal to cool off as she was very wet. I shut the boat’s door to stop the soggy Lurcher drying herself on the future owner’s sofa.

They boarded eagerly.

“I should have brought shorts with me,” the Captain complained. “I got hot walking along the towpath. I looked around but the only parking was at the pub,” the Captain said. “But the pub landlord was happy for me to leave the car in his car park over night. I’ve reserved a table in the bar for dinner tonight as dogs are allowed in there.”

By the time we cruised to Wolsley Bridge the soggy Lurcher was dry. We moored before the bridge and relaxed before having an excellent meal at the pub. The Lurcher waited patiently for us to finish our meal before being rewarded with left overs. The Captain mellowed over to pints of draft Doom bar. I haven’t seen him so happy on a cruise for ages.