Badderley Basin to Charity Dock
07:00 A mixture of Sunshine and cloud plus the washing that is drying on the rotary clothesline dictated a late start.
08:30 The sun has gotten his hat on and the washing is drying a treat.
The night in the boatyard was very quiet even though the busy railway line is in close proximity. I think it is because of the continuously welded rail and so there was no clip, clip, clickety-clack of wheels passing over the joints.
I remember some research work that was done many years ago where the lines were not fitted together butt-end to butt-end with fishplates. But used a tapered half dovetail joint that overlapped the joint and was about two feet long. It was used to allow for expansion in long sections of continuously welded rail. It also reduced noise from the joints at the same time. The outcome I never did find out. I always check whenever passing the railways in the hope of spotting one. Sad I know!
11:00 Picture the scene, a lock gate with a sign saying wet paint. Now, I know that you can tell a person that there are more than 450 billion stars in the known universe and that person will implicitly believe you. They will not think to question how the calculation was made. Now, place a prominent sign on a lock gate saying wet paint and that same person will have to touch the paint to be certain. Why?
As reported in science news a tiny fossil of the smallest known dinosaur was unearthed in East Sussex. According to Darren Naish, an honorary research associate at the University of Portsmouth’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the dinosaur is estimated to weigh only about 200 grams and is “bird-like bipedal dinosaur, with fairly short tail, long neck, long slim hind legs, and feathered, clawed forelimbs.” I can't help but think that a visit to BW Ivory Towers would also find some dinosaurs of the waterways. Bipedal with a brass neck and grasping forelimbs.
17:00 At Boot Wharf (bridge 20) we picked up a large piece of conveyor belting material on the prop. This stopped the engine dead. We had to bow haul Rosie through the bridge hole. I was soon down the weed hatch where it took some time to saw through the belting. There was also something very heavy attached to the belting which stopped me from removing it from the canal. Checking over the propeller I found that one blade tip has been deformed. This is causing a great deal of turbulence in the wake which is in turn rattling the tiller hard even at slow speeds. I have a spare (17"X12) prop on-board and so we may have to change to the spare propeller. We limped along the canal as far as Charity Wharf where we moored up for the evening.
Wildlife: Whitethroat and Reed buntings seemed to be everywhere. The usual Swallows, Swifts and House Martins. In good numbers. I also spotted a dead Swallow in the canal. Best spot was a Speckled Wood Butterfly.
Daily Total
Miles: 9.2
Locks: 6
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 5.0
Accumulated Totals
Miles: 939.3
Locks: 695
Swing / Lift Bridges: 117
Tunnels: 6
Pump Outs: 10
Engine Hours: 2198.0
Miles: 939.3
Locks: 695
Swing / Lift Bridges: 117
Tunnels: 6
Pump Outs: 10
Engine Hours: 2198.0
Later......
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