Last Google Earth -28juneto5july.kml
As you will have noticed we have been logging our daily route and publishing it as a Google Earth file.
This has been done with the aid of a small box of electronics called a GPS bug (eBAY).
Then this data has been processed using LOCR to put the lat/long info in to the header of the photos - it is missing on some of them, I had trouble uploading photos at the beginning of the journey, and lost the info whilst editing.
The 'bug' can be set to turn on and off by vibration, or only work above a certain speed. Wonderful for use in a car but turned out not to be useful on a boat! So in the end I set it to record data every 30 seconds and just started it before we left in the mornings, and tried to remember to stop it when we finished for the day,
The only problem we encountered was after a tunnel you need to allow time to re-acquire the satellites or the logging stops.
I can give more details to anyone who wants it.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Final stretch
18:26 05/07/2008 5.19 miles 7 locks
very wet start to the day so didn't hurry. Then made a dry run up to the Watford flight, we were second in the queue to go up with 5 coming down. This took about an hour as nothing can hurry progress through the locks. Eventually we cleared the locks and headed for the Crick tunnel (wet as usual) and our home mooring. Just got back in time to beat the rain.
Sitting quietly in the marina now gathering our strength for all the packing and tidying up required.
Water here does not need to be boiled!
very wet start to the day so didn't hurry. Then made a dry run up to the Watford flight, we were second in the queue to go up with 5 coming down. This took about an hour as nothing can hurry progress through the locks. Eventually we cleared the locks and headed for the Crick tunnel (wet as usual) and our home mooring. Just got back in time to beat the rain.
Sitting quietly in the marina now gathering our strength for all the packing and tidying up required.
Water here does not need to be boiled!
Possible water problems
19:54 03/07/2008 8.3 miles 3 locks (Hillmorton)
Easy passage through the locks, thanks to boats coming the other way, then the long straight through Barby and on towards Braunston. Hit by a tremendous heavy rain storm, with as usual nowhere to moor, so plugged on. Eventually it stopped and we were in Braunston looking for mooring by 1.30. We were going for water but of course we are now in the region on Anglian Water affected by the 'bug' so decided not to take any on board as we have enough and as the notices on the taps say ' there are no current recommendations for flushing and cleaning boats tank to remove the contaminated water' I wonder what is happening back home in Long Buckby? We will soon find out as we will probably be home by Sunday.
Easy passage through the locks, thanks to boats coming the other way, then the long straight through Barby and on towards Braunston. Hit by a tremendous heavy rain storm, with as usual nowhere to moor, so plugged on. Eventually it stopped and we were in Braunston looking for mooring by 1.30. We were going for water but of course we are now in the region on Anglian Water affected by the 'bug' so decided not to take any on board as we have enough and as the notices on the taps say ' there are no current recommendations for flushing and cleaning boats tank to remove the contaminated water' I wonder what is happening back home in Long Buckby? We will soon find out as we will probably be home by Sunday.
Seeing old friends at Rose
17:06 02/07/2008 10.7 miles
Ansty to Rugby, stopping as usual to top up the larder at Tesco. Unevenful journey through pleasant country. Usual busy scene at Rose narrowboats, we managed a brief word with Mick (and Crystal) on Ruffian, and later saw Phil from the Marina on his way up there for lunch. Moored as usual by the golf course, not quite nice enough for a BBQ
Ansty to Rugby, stopping as usual to top up the larder at Tesco. Unevenful journey through pleasant country. Usual busy scene at Rose narrowboats, we managed a brief word with Mick (and Crystal) on Ruffian, and later saw Phil from the Marina on his way up there for lunch. Moored as usual by the golf course, not quite nice enough for a BBQ
Greenfield site developments
17:43 01/07/2008 12.6 miles 1 (small) lock
Left our pleasant mooring for the journey through Nuneaton and Bedworth, we were interested to see on the way up the redevelopment being done on what was an old quarry, and took the opportunity coming back to ask a worker there what was happening, he said housing eventually, but having filled the hole they have to wait a couple of years to let it settle before building.
Hawkesbury was busy, it is always a tight turn off the Coventry through the stop lock, this time complicated by a large trip boat out of the Coventry basin moored outside the pub.
Left our pleasant mooring for the journey through Nuneaton and Bedworth, we were interested to see on the way up the redevelopment being done on what was an old quarry, and took the opportunity coming back to ask a worker there what was happening, he said housing eventually, but having filled the hole they have to wait a couple of years to let it settle before building.
Hawkesbury was busy, it is always a tight turn off the Coventry through the stop lock, this time complicated by a large trip boat out of the Coventry basin moored outside the pub.
Assisted passage through Atherton locks
15:48 30/06/2008 5.1 miles 11 locks
Lovely clear blue sky greeted us this morning, a good start to the locks. Arrived at the bottom lock at 10 to find Chris and Helen waiting to assist us through, they had kindly volunteered to drive from their nearby home to help.
Quite a bit a traffic up and down which always helps, and more water than when we went the other way many weeks ago.
By 12.30 we were out the other end of the locks and wishing saying thanks to our assistants. A short cruise later we moored in the countryside, able to sit and enjoy the sunshine (and the tennis).
Lovely clear blue sky greeted us this morning, a good start to the locks. Arrived at the bottom lock at 10 to find Chris and Helen waiting to assist us through, they had kindly volunteered to drive from their nearby home to help.
Quite a bit a traffic up and down which always helps, and more water than when we went the other way many weeks ago.
By 12.30 we were out the other end of the locks and wishing saying thanks to our assistants. A short cruise later we moored in the countryside, able to sit and enjoy the sunshine (and the tennis).
Expensive diesel (Crick is only 85p)
20:03 29/06/2008 17.3 miles 2 locks 7.5 hours
Early start for the long journey down to Atherstone locks. Mixed weather mainly dry and cloudy. Used Streethay services for the first time, Diesel now up to 95p a litre - just wait till November when the tax regime changes.
Watered at Fazeley Junction, and continued on through torrential rain to moor below Polesworth within easy reach of the locks at Atherstone tomorrow. Pleasant weather resumed with a nice sunny evening.
Early start for the long journey down to Atherstone locks. Mixed weather mainly dry and cloudy. Used Streethay services for the first time, Diesel now up to 95p a litre - just wait till November when the tax regime changes.
Watered at Fazeley Junction, and continued on through torrential rain to moor below Polesworth within easy reach of the locks at Atherstone tomorrow. Pleasant weather resumed with a nice sunny evening.
Shopping again and on to Fradley Junction
19:59 28/06/2008 14.2 miles 5 locks
Said goodbye to Tixall Wide at 9 and returned to the mainline, hoped for services at Haywood junction, but it was hireboat changeover time so we carried on.
Pleasant weather, a smal amount of traffic at the next 3 locks to keep us company.
Shopped at Morrisons in Rugeley, this should see us through to the end (bet we stop at Tescos in Rugby)
Kings Bromley Marina was closed for services so we carried on again, reaching Fradley Junction late afternoon,
to find little boat traffic but no moorings close to the junction. We knew of a mooring outside the busy area however and were soon settled in watching tennis again.
Said goodbye to Tixall Wide at 9 and returned to the mainline, hoped for services at Haywood junction, but it was hireboat changeover time so we carried on.
Pleasant weather, a smal amount of traffic at the next 3 locks to keep us company.
Shopped at Morrisons in Rugeley, this should see us through to the end (bet we stop at Tescos in Rugby)
Kings Bromley Marina was closed for services so we carried on again, reaching Fradley Junction late afternoon,
to find little boat traffic but no moorings close to the junction. We knew of a mooring outside the busy area however and were soon settled in watching tennis again.
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