A Modest Start

Making our fond farewells to Rebecca in the office, at eleven o’clock ‘Futurest’ and I made our great big getaway very boldly this morning for the 2012 cruising season.

Goodbye again Kate Boats

We began very positively, as we mean to go on of course, and covered at a very gentle pace, a whole 1.3 miles down to the twenty four hour mooring alongside the supermarket Lidl. I meant to stop at Tesco’s originally but there were no moorings available here, so we moved down to where I’ve now decided to stay the night. There is no hurry as Bascote Lock, further east along the Grand Union, is closed until 1600 tomorrow for repairs.

After stocking up for the passage to Banbury in the shop, I walked along the towpath into Leamington Spa and after a sustaining pot of tea at the Pump Room Restaurant, began the return journey.

When I returned the ship, bathed in the afternoon sunshine, she was as cosy as ever but moored astern was a boat that hadn’t been there when I left and the three man crew were enjoying a glass of wine together in the cratch. They too were awaiting the opening of the Bascote Lock and this was a rare moment of relaxation for them. I chatted for a moment or two and they invited me to join them in a glass.

So I did!

The moorings at Lidl

They are delivering a new hire boat to Anglo Welsh in Bath and are usually in a tearing hurry, being put on a tight time schedule by the hire company. But tonight the crew were relaxing and all of us being about the same age, we swung the lantern freely and furiously as the wine flowed. We decided that all four of us had led busy but contented lives overall.

A fourth crew member who had been ashore for a walk, returned and I gave them all a conducted tour of ‘Futurest’. They seemed to enjoy it.

We have said goodnight now and they will be away early in the morning, probably before I wake up. They will be back on their normal schedule.

Bon Voyage bothers Jim and Jeff, Bernie the retired airline pilot and Foxy the single man of the party with an eye for a good meal and a pretty female face. It was great meeting you all and I hope we meet again sometime.