The Big One (8-1)

Sunday 20th May 2012

Antons Gowt to Boston Visitor Moorings.

A late morning, the dogs let me know that they wanted to go out. A boat moored next door to us left just after midnight heading towards Lincoln. Without a single light on the boat! The Boston Belle passed earlier in the evening on a booze cruise I hope that they did not meet!

We took the dogs for a another walk along the towpath. There are large patches of cornflower just coming into flower. The Bluebells are now being crowded out by the new growth of other plants.






Went for Sunday lunch in the Malcolm Arms. The carvery was excellent as was the pudding. Portion control is not practised in this establishment. This possibly explains the number of customers (as would the price - £5 a head)  As we were amongst the last to arrive we ended up in a side room which had previously been a snooker room.

We spotted what looked like a big bird of prey. It was moving around in a slow circle over a field and making the occasional swoops down towards the ground. We could not make out what kind of bird or what the prey was. 






A quiet crawl down the river, keeping an eye out for the wildlife. Quite a few bike riders, dog walkers and joggers on the towpath. The highlight being our first Kingfisher of the cruise. Later we found out that we had missed a seal heading up river. They come in via the lock at Boston. When the water is a high level, they can make their way over the top of the flood gates. we arrived in Boston in the late afternoon.

The mystery photograph from yesterday was a close-up of a teasel head.












The bird of prey that we spotted earlier turned out to be a Kite. But it was not the feathered kind, but a bird scarer type now being deployed by farmers. The kite is very realistic. Many species of bird are extremely wary of birds of pray such as hawks, therefore "hawk kites" were created to fly from poles in the wind and hover over a field. They are purposely designed to match the silhouette of a hovering bird of prey. They also find use on airfields to prevent birds accumulating near runways causing a potential hazard to jet aircraft.




Daily Total
Miles:  2.2
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 1.2

Accumulated Totals
Miles: 704.1

Locks: 652

Swing / Lift Bridges: 115

Tunnels: 6

Pump Outs: 9

Engine Hours: 2130.0

Spontaneous Trouser Combustion

Apparently, there has been a sudden outbreak of spontaneous trouser combustion in BW Ivory Towers.  It seems that our old fiend Robin Evans has stated that "Some 98% of the people in this country consider the canals and waterways in this country to be a treasured asset."

Now, I know and I know that you know that statistics can be manipulated to give any outcome that you wish. But even wearing the remains of his smouldering pantaloons no one in their right mind would consider the canal as a national treasure. 

A national disgrace I would accept but no way would anyone view long stretches of mud for a towpath, over grown, litter strewn, under dredged, poorly maintained, smelly, stinking, stagnent waterway and abandoned shopping trolley dumping area as a national treasure!

You can even vote on it Here.

Later.....

The Big One (7-7)

Saturday 19th May 2012

Antons Gowt Visitor Moorings.

Cold and overcast for a change! The rowers are out in force once again. Apparently as the river has long straight stretches of water the Olympic rowing teams are doing some training here.

Had a walk to the Malcolm Arms and bobbed in for lunch. The staff behind the bar we found out live very close to where we live. Its a family run business so they travel down here to work a couple of days a week!

I did some work repairing a computer for some of our new mooring friends Jacqui and Martin on Nb Sukama. So they called in to see us and to pick the laptop up and have a chat. They were on their way up to Langrick Bridge as this is the closest point to Boston where a black water pump-out can be done.

There are a few interesting objects along the towpath. One is a pair of hands cut out of wood. Another is a sleeping face under a blanket of Oak leaves.

Wildlife: The more unusual one was a stag deer,  spotted from the towpath. 












More of the usual birds including Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit and Great Tit. Plus a Mink spotted on the flood bank, who almost came face to face with Poppy. She did not see the Mink but she picked up on the scent and tried to track it down.

Here is a mystery close-up photograph taken on the towpath - so what do you think it could be. I will include a full photograph tomorrow.












Later.....

Daily Total
Miles: 0.0
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 0.

Accumulated Totals
Miles: 701.9

Locks: 652

Swing / Lift Bridges: 115

Tunnels: 6

Pump Outs: 9

Engine Hours: 2128.8