Rose of Arden: The Big One (5-2)

Monday, 30 April 2012

The Big One (5-2)

Boathouse Marina Goole to Rawcliffe Bridge and return.

We are enjoying our enforced stay in the marina, if only for the chance to do something different to watching the rain run down the windows. I was awake early for two reasons, first because of the sunshine through the portholes. Secondly because of the birdsong, it's uplifting that the morning chorus has returned. I listened to Chiff Chaff, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit and an almost ethereal Blackbird who was in full song. The recent weather will have played havoc with any bird that tried to breed early. However, most will have a go at raising a second brood if the first fails.

After a couple of days of loading the washer with clothes to clear the backlog. With a bit of luck, today should see the last of Mrs Wishy Washy's clothes dried. - That name just, tripped off the fingers and at the same time brought back a memory from the past. The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. I remember reading the books as a child. Especially, The Magical Faraway Tree. And the three central characters getting soaked by Mrs Wishy Washy's waste water as they climbed the tree! Reading was always a big part in my life as a child, a form of escapism on rainy days. But I digress again.

The cloud cover and the constant downpour of rain yesterday was so heavy it was playing havoc with the satellite TV signal. So we gave up and I rigged up our standby terrestrial ariel. So we were able to get our weekend fix of silent witness and the football highlights.

We have a flat screen Avtex television, multi-standard (PAL NTSC SECAM) which also has digital terrestrial and a DVD player built in. It even links the audio output to the boats stereo radio, via a low power FM transmitter.

If you are looking to get a TV set for your boat - have a look at the Avtex range. The number of facilities built in as standard make them a very good alternative to a normal TV and all the extra boxes.

I have had a request to make an apology to a fellow "if now incognito" blogger. Apparently I made a minuscule and as yet uncorroborated mistake. Unfortunately the blogger in question made a much bigger mistake if they believe that such an apology is going to be forthcoming within the foreseeable future. However, complaints about my blog are managed elsewhere, so you are free to go to Helen Waite.

Later we had a short sunny cruise to Rawcliffe Bridge visitor moorings supposedly to let the dogs have a run on the grass, well away from the marina and the roads. The Memsahib took the opportunity to go shopping. We returned back to The boathouse moorings earlier than we had intended. The nearby chemical plant was not helping with the stink it was kicking out! A quick stop on the way back to take on board some cut logs left over from the last organised towpath tidy day.

Rawcliffe Bridge Velodrome.

It was such a nice day that even the local scrotes were out on the towpath. Riding a small motorcycle at high speed. A bike that was only built for one and that obviously had no exhaust.

The two safety conscious "Teflon skinned" and "Thick sculled" individuals demonstrated their lack any concern for the safety for anyone else including themselves.

I wonder how CaRT's future sponsors will feel about paying to provide even more towpath for illegal motorcycle riders! So much for the safety of cyclists, walkers, children, fishermen and boaters .

Wildlife: We saw a pair of Marsh Harrier. The pale male and the much darker female were spotted flying over a large reed bed. There are less than 400 breeding pairs of Marsh Harrier in the UK. Two Mallard broods with six and two chicks were observed. However, its not uncommon for chicks to move between nearby broods. The mystery bird call, had be stumped for a while until I realised it was a Peahen calling from a house over the far side of the Dutch River.