Back home there is time to reflect on the trip, and the new style of cruising we are doing this year. New to us that is as I think the majority of people already do it this way. We have taken an annual mooring in a marina for the first time, before we had moved marinas every time we went home and only remained in one place over winter. Over the last eight years we have covered the entire canal and river system, plus some, (bar one or two short sections that we will remedy over time), and we are looking to go more slowly and spend time looking around the countryside by the canal. Helen has now got a FIT BIT and is been bullied by it to get her steps in etc. It is a good way to get us to get out and about on walks from the boat. This last three weeks we have had some great walks and seen some lovely countryside. I enjoy looking at maps and picking and planning routes so we are both enjoying it. I do go on the walks too, in case you wondered!
There is a good advantage of having the car at the end of the trip to just load up and depart, but a draw back could be that you have to cover a section of the canal repeatedly to get to 'new' ground. However if needed we can transit this area in as short or long a period as we want, putting in long days just to get through it, and as I just like standing on the after deck and steering it is not too much of a problem to me
We were a way 20 days and covered 96 and a half miles and passed through 74 locks.
The engine hours were 59.1 hours so that was just under 3 hours a day. We topped up with fuel when we got back to the marina and took on 96.9 litres so that is 1.64 litres per hour. However to come off that is the fuel used by the Hurricane heater, and I forgot to take the end reading of that. At a minimum it will have been on for an hour a day to heat the water so if I say 20 hours, and the given consumption is 0.84 litres per hour or 16.8 ltrs. Take that away from the total consumption gives 80 litres so the average is 1.35 litres per hour which doesn't sound too bad.
All system seemed to work satisfactorily. There was a smell of gas in the gas locker and rubber hoses fitted and add in a Bubble Tester at the same time. The oven grill hadn't been working for a while so we had that fixed with a new thermo couple too. I failed to treat any paintwork, wash the boat or polish it at all, although I did do several little jobs that needed doing. I'm afraid that when cruising I lack motivation to do paintwork repairs etc. I have decided that with the boat in a marina I will head down there for a few days and get that sort of work do, so as not to detract from the enjoyment when we are out and about, although I don't mind washing the boat every now and then.
It had been quite a while since we had been up the Caldon Canal and were pleased to be reacquainted with it as it is a lovely trip. I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet the canals still were after folk were allowed out on their boats. We found some lovely sights on our walks that is encouraging as that was the plan, to see more of what is beside the canal now we have seen the canals themselves.
Si I am looking forward to our next trip, but haven't decided where to go yet.
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