Friday 3 July 2015

It’s getting warmer still ...

6am Wednesday morning and we’re nearly ready to untie the ropes
 … the sun is already strong and the temperature later here at Rickmansworth is forecast to be in the mid 30s - too hot for me!
We need to use the services before we continue our journey so George reversed Still Rockin’ to the services immediately below the lock.  We went early hoping that no boats were going to come down the lock and as luck would have it, they didn’t!

 Love the name of this widebeam!

Can anyone help me with information regarding this house and monument(?) by bridge 175 on the Grand Union (could the red cross be something to do with the knight templars?)
 Beautiful old barns, not renovated to residential properties for a change

Work going on on at the boatyard on this big old hopper, I wonder what it will eventually become? Perhaps we’ll see on our way back up the GU for our winter cruising later in the year

 Looks like a cross between a mallard and a mandarin duck.
CRT at Copper Mill Lock - the rod between the ground paddle and the ratchet post has broken and he’s waiting for a replacement to arrive - someone will have to then get into the lock to replace it - he says it will not be him!


Leaving the lock and it’s time to up the power to get through the turbulent water coming across the canal
 … here, and

 … here!
There is usually a white-water slalom course marked out on this short stretch from the bridge but not today.
 The Coy Carp - that’ll be dinner sorted then!


By 9:30 were safely tied up, the weather is getting hotter as well so we’ve decided to reserve our energy and just relax and try to stay cool.  The temperature on the roof mid-afternoon was an egg frying 49 degrees but this still gives a good indication of the heat.

We did have dinner later at the pub and very disappointing it was too. We both had steak, George a rump and me a fillet but it was burned on the outside and I could only taste the burned meat. So George and Molly ate mine, the chips were good though!

8 comments:

KevinTOO said...

The posts are 'London Coal Tax Posts'... see link for more info, http://www.coaldutyposts.org.uk/cityposts.html

A blogger has written about these posts in a 'post', if you know what I mean. Only guessing
here, but I would think it might be nb Valerie (Les), nb Briar Rose (Adam), nb Waiouru (Tom),
or someone else totally of course... LOL

Unknown said...

The building is Stockers House built in 1861-2 for the City of London Corporation as a residence
for its Collector of the Coal Dues on the Grand Junction Canal. The iron post is typical of the boundary markers on routs into London. There is a stone pillar N bank of canal 500 m NE of Springwell Lock.

Sandi said...

Hi, do you think summer is here at last? We took Molly to Trentham Gardens this morning and walked round the lake to the cafe, a cup of tea later travelled back on the boat. There were loads of little blue dragonflies over the water, mating season I think! We stopped at the Plume of Feathers and had a coke with some friends an then I spent the afternoon outside knitting! A lovely day! Big hugs, Sandra. Xxx

Carol said...

Thanks Kevin! I remembered that a blogger had already blogged on this subject fairly recently but like you I was not sure who it was, but thanks for the info, at least you remembered what that other blogger said in his blog!! x

Carol said...

I don’t usually publish comments from anonymous/unknown but I can see that this is genuine, thank you. When we pass this way later in the year I’ll look out for stone pillar above Springwell Lock.

Carol said...

Hi Sandra, yes summer is definitely here I think! We’ve also been watching the beautiful damsel flies having fun in the sun! Glad you’ve had a good day at Trentham boating! hugs to you too. xx

KevinTOO said...

For completeness it was all of the above and nb Herbie (Neil) too...
http://boatlife.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/the-london-coal-duty.html
http://nbbriarrose.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/home-counties-cruise-day-19.html
http://www.narrowboat-waiouru.co.uk/2015/03/the-coal-tax-obelisk-and-bridge-zero.html
http://nbherbie.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/a-listed-building-on-slough-arm.html

Carol said...

Lol Kevin!!!!