Welford Junction to Kilsby Bridge No 8.

Hi Folks.

Did you all watch Children In Need last night?
What a fantastic nights entertainment. Every year it gets better and better and more and more money is raised. Congratulations to everyone who took part.

I woke up to another peasouper of a morning. Not only was visability down to a short distance, it was cold as well. But with customers to deliver to we had to move. But before that Paddy and I did the usual walk down the towpath. He did not hang about this morning, probably due to the weather conditions. he did what he had to do and was soon back on the boat waiting in his bed for his breakfast.
Both fires needed raking out and restocking with coal. I then filled the Copper kettle and sat it back on the back cabin stove. The saloon stove has smokeless fuel and the back cabin stove has good old house coal and usually smokes like there is no tomorrow. We always have a lovely smoke trail coming out of the chimney. Just how it used to be. There was none of this smokeless fuels when the boats used to work on the waterway's in a bygone era.
Keith had a restless night with his back, so it was gently does it this morning as we prepared to set off towards Crick, where we had waiting customers. We stopped at Yelvertoft to supply a customer and then after a quick chat were on our way. At first it seemed that there was no one else moving, it was only when we got closer to Crick we saw three other boats coming towards us. At this time of the year most of the moorings at Crick at taken up by Winter moorers who pay to stay on the towpath moorings for the Winter, but it looks like so far this year they have had few takers, because there was only a couple of boats opposite the marina. Keith pulled in so I could go and see who was moored on the visitor moorings, because I had a customer to supply. I began walking down the towpath and was confronted by a fishing competition, on the moorings, which is not supposed to be allowed under British Waterway's by-laws.

For Anglers.

Look after your waterways discarded hooks and lines, bottles and tins can kill or injure wildlife

Consider others.

Make sure the towpath is easily passable by keeping your fishing tackle tidy
Don't obstruct locks, bridges, designated moorings, water points or turning points
Boat crews need access to the bank within 25 metres of locks or moveable bridges so do not fish there
Use a pole cup if you need to feed close to boats: don't throw or catapult groundbait onto the decks or against the hulls of boats
Respect the privacy of people on occupied moored boats, including those on the opposite bank. Try to fish at least 15 metres away
Some boats will not be able to avoid you if you fish on the outside of bends
Take care don't fish within 30 metres of overhead power lines.

These rules are there to make fishing more enjoyable for the angler and boater, but still it seems some think they are above the rules. So with that I decided I was not going to haul the coal on the sack barrow down the towpath past all the anglers, although I was within my right to do so. That would have made them move their poles which lay on the towpath. Thankfully there was one mooring place on the other visitor moorings, so we move the boat on to that mooring and I unloaded the coal closer to my customers. The hold is almost empty now, so it makes it a little more difficult to lift the coal out of the boat, but where there's a will, there's always a way and just because I am a woman it does not mean I am a weakling, I have found ways to do my job and I so enjoy what I do. I love the fact that I get to chat to lots of new people everyday. I also get to catch up with regular customers who have become our friends.
Coal delivered we set off through Crick tunnel and winded just short of Watford Locks. After another very busy day, I am feeling a little shattered, but dinner had to be made. Tonight we are having a Thai Chicken Curry, with Rice and Garlic Bread. The animals then needed feeding and Paddy had his walk. I am still walking him at night, whilst Keith's back is poorly.
We have a half decent TV signal, so I am going to settle down after dinner to watch X-Factor and I'm a celebrity get me out of here'. I am ever hopeful that Gillian McKeith will walk out and Shaun with stay in.
I am off now, so have a good evening.