The Big One (7-6)

Friday 18th May 2012

Boston Visitor Moorings to Antons Gowt.

Overcast once again and the cold wind still persists. A run to Antons Gowt and a trip down the drains is on the cards. It will also give the batteries a good charge. The moorings at Boston are a mixture of visitor and residential moorings. Choose a bay mooring but check the noticeboard to make sure your not in a residents bay. It never surprises me what BW come up with. The residents moorings here have an electrical supply which is disconnected in the winter. Yes, we thought it strange. All the other berths in the area have year round electrical connections. It's weird the way that BW is wired.

Construction work is now under way completed on a new tidal lock at the junction of the South Forty Foot Drain and the River Witham at Boston. This lock is part of the new Fens Waterways Link.  The Fens Link will eventually connect the Rivers Witham, Glen, Welland, Nene and Ouse and will open up a further 160 mile long circular waterway. Two new floating visitor moorings in the South Forty Foot Drain at Hubberts Bridge and at Swineshead will allow boaters to take advantage of some good local pubs.

Talking of pubs, we were strolling past the Duke of York pub behind the police station in Boston. When we spotted a sign that said "pint and a curry £5 a head." We both fancied a curry and we were not averse to having a pint. So we went in. A roaring log burner stove was very welcoming. It was ladies championship darts night. Well to be more accurate the girls were practising throwing sharp pointed objects into the wall. I had the feeling it was practise for domestic life when they returned home. The safest palace was in front of the board. But I digress, the choice of curry was jalfrezi, bhuna, or ticka. We went for the jalfrezi and it was very good. The portions were quite large and we each chose one with rice and chips which we then shared. Good food and we will be back to tackle a Sunday lunch which we were assured was of a good standard.


The cruise up to Antons Gowt is a short one and even though we were dawdling along it took us just under an hour. The moorings were full of the same boats that had been there on our way down to Boston. So I guess the local pub is a very popular place of pilgrimage. The section of river between Boston and Langrick Bridge is also a very popular venue for oarsmen and women. The speed that the boats can achieve is quite surprising. Some are obviously keeping fit and fighting the flab whilst others are very accomplished and obviously keen competitors. I wonder if I could fit oarlocks front and back and press a crew to provide motive power for Rosie!

Wildlife: Mallard and half a dozen chicks. Chiffchaff by the score. Swifts, Swallows and House Martins and their amazing acrobatic dogfights with the insect population. Painted lady and meadow brown butterflies. But no Dragonfly or Demoiselle or "Damselfly" so far.




Later....

Daily Total
Miles: 2.2

Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 14.2

Accumulated Totals
Miles: 701.9

Locks: 652

Swing / Lift Bridges: 115

Tunnels: 6

Pump Outs: 9

Engine Hours: 2128.8