Booked In For Blacking

Tuesday 28th February 2012.

Last week we drove up to Shobnall to book the boat in for D.I.Y. blacking, we went for the last weekend in March as hopefully it won't be too cold, I can also fit the new Crowther propeller we've had since last year.

Kings Bromley Marina's Muscovy duck has left after a disagreement with the resident male swan,we think the Muscovy was paying to much attention to the female swan and hubby decided he had to go, the Muscovy now resides at Fradley Junction, about 2 miles away, I spotted him last week whilst out cycling.

Muscovy, now living at Fradley Junction.

The large male Swan who rules the Marina, he's known as Nic due to the damage to his beak which looks like it was caused by fishing line when he was young.

No cruising for us just yet, my mother's going into hospital for a replacement knee on the 4th of April so we'll make sure she's mobile before we go to far away, then it's off to the Stoke Bruerne Gala, that's assuming there's enough water for the canals to operate.

Body Found

25th February 2012

Just read on a B.B.C. website that a body has been found.

Back To Normal

Saturday 25th February 2012.

The Canal from Wood End lock down to Fradley is open again after being drained to help police seaching for the missing man who hasn't been seen for a week now (pictures on  http://beefur.blogspot.com/).

We have been out of the Marina for a couple of days gathering wood, when we got back at lunch time today a team from Staffordshire Seach and Rescue were seaching the Marina checking under the jetties and boats.

We had a good haul of wood which is now stacked in the shed and will see us through this winter.

A nice piece of Beech on the block

Possible Bad News

Wednesday 22 February 2012.

We had a Police helicopter around the area on Monday afternoon obviously looking for something or somebody then we found out that they were seaching for a 20 year old man from the area who had not been seen since Saturday, Staffordshire Search and Rescue have based themselves at Bromley Hayes Garden Centre and had people out looking for him.

We have just learnt that the canal and towpath between bridge 54 and Shadehouse lock has been closed due to a police incident, sounds bad.

Ice Report

Monday 13th February 2012.

Sue Hunter from www.beefur.blogspot.com left a comment on our last blog asking how bad the ice was around Kings Bromley so here's a couple of pictures showing that it's disappearing fast, a boat went past on Friday or Saturday which started thing off.

Who Lives in a Boat Like This

Sunday 12th February 2012.

Moored on the opposite side to the Towpath at Kings Bromley for the last 3 weeks has been this lovely sight, no licence and no number it now has a British Waterways enforcement notice attached. The occupants use a outboard powered dinghy to come and go.

- 9 degrees.

Saturday 4th February 2012.

Weekends are usually busy times at Kings Bromley Marina even in the winter but with minus 9 degrees and snow forecast the "Butterfly Boaters" have stayed away, plenty of car parking space and no screaming kids.

The Ducks and Swans aways try and keep an area of water ice free by swimming around, with last years prolonged freeze their pool got very small. 

Glad we collected plenty of logs last week as they are now keeping us warm, we have a solid fuel fire with back boiler and a small circulation pump so the hot water from the boiler is pumped around 6 radiators and a towel rail in the bathroom, it keeps the whole boat at a nice temperature.