MARSWORTH enjoying the sunshine

Hope everyone`s enjoying the early summer, long may it last, and having a chance to chill out like me with an extended stay at Marsworth topping up my tan. With the weather being so good Marsworth has been very busy with the flight of locks an boat movements through them giving both young and old the chance to see how the canals work. The usual comments by the children as i sit on the front deck, "mummy do people really live in boats" or "look dad that one has a windmill on the roof" or "mum they have a sink, why don`t they use a dishwasher" plus lots more the boaters amongst you have heard no doubt

Plenty of interest from the adult males about the wind genny and the solar panel which is by the way giving out a steady 5.4amps. The genny has now taken over as i write with the wind being the main food for my batteries and is giving a 2 amp boost to the weakened sun but together i still get 3/4 amps. 

The long stay as i travel slowly south into Jaq`s arms, just 3weeks 3days now, gives me time to carry on with prepping the our boat with the fridge now boxed in and the shelf in place above the washing machine behind those little doors.

Another job i`ve been meaning to do is the non slip rubber on the back deck which for some time has slowly been winning the battle with the glue holding it down. I mentioned this to Jaq saying i would try and find something to smarten it up once it was re-glued and she had the brilliant idea of using the tyre black paint used on car tyres. Well i must say it has been a success although i will say try and give it a long drying time so it soaks in and hardens.

On the way into Marsworth a film crew were busy making a TV advert for the O2 phone company. I later learnt from other boaters in Marsworth they had also been filming at the locks with the involvement of a horse. One of the film crew said the ad is due to be screened in May  so watch your screens.

 Below NB Valerie moored right beside the reservoir, the Red boat is selling Canal ware and was doing a good trade selling amongst other wares painted horseshoes with your name added while u wait.

This proud mum came along with her brood of 13 but over 3 days the numbers reduced to 12 then down to 8. Not her being a bad mother but Mother Nature at work with either Pike, Heron or Crow or possibly all three enjoying a meal, sad yes but that`s the way life is.

Just a few steps from the boat just one of 4 Reservoirs in the area all built by the canal company back in the early 1800`s to supply water to the canal. The 3 mile summit level between Cow Roast and Bulborne needs a healthy supply of water with boats coming up to or leaving the summit using many thousands of galls of water to do so.

The trip boat was a regular operating cruises from Pitstone turning halfway up the Marsworth locks. This one was hosting a 60th birthday and the w`end night time trips were disco themed.

Plenty of good walks around the reservoirs with good paths a nice way to spend an hour or so away from the crowds.
One walk took me across to the Wendover Arm basin and across fields to see how the renovation of this 6 mile or so canal was progressing. Some parts are in water but this section has been cleared to allow access for work parties and equipment.

Swans on the runway

Swans overhead waiting to land.