Tuesday 28^th April 2020

After weeks, it seems, of sunshine and heat, we woke to a morning of intermittent drizzle that turned to rain in the afternoon. It was a miserable day all round. We saw no more than ½ dozen people passing and just the one boat.

Thankfully, today, the water pump cured itself of continually cutting in and out. Normally, with the pump behaving this way, it would indicate a leak but none could be found despite regular checking. The problem then, could only be with the pump itself, either a knackered pump, defective pressure relief valve within the pump or shit caught under the non-return valves, again built within the pump. The intention had been to remove the pump and either replace it or check it over, but, with there being no isolating valves in the system, fit some at the same time.

Firstly, we had to get some isolating valves and secondly, run the water in the tank down. In the meantime, we had been switching the pump on only when required. With the problem disappearing, we are putting it down to shit under the non-return valves having dislodging itself. However, we still plan to buy isolating valves should the problem return.

Other than stowing the poles back on the roof ready for moving tomorrow and taking the dog out a few times, we stayed indoors and watched TV.

We had been at Syke’s Hollow this time, for 9 days and it has been 11 days since we shopped. Tomorrow we plan to head back to Nantwich for shopping and the services. Again, we will overnight at Hurleston ready for a short hop into Nantwich the day after and then return here. There are many other sites we could stop at, but we both like it here, it is fine and quiet. We have lots of outdoor space and don’t much see the point in moving. While a few boats are, naughtily, still travelling around, CRT advice is to move only for essential trips and there is no point in exploring anyway with everything being closed.

With there being few boats moving, we are noticing the water becoming much clearer. But also, there is a thick layer of weed growing on the hull below the waterline. This doesn’t do any boat any good and dramatically increases fuel consumption. Ships normally dry-dock every 5 years when they have their bottoms scraped and repainted. One old ship I sailed on had sat almost stationery at sea beside oil rigs for over 5 years and, when she eventually docked, there was a 6-foot growth on her hull. When she returned to sea, there was a 10% reduction in the fuel used.

We had a visit in the afternoon from the ducklings. They are now down to 4 in number, so 6 have been lost since first emerging from the nest. They were pecking at the weed growth, a haven for water-borne wildlife. Normally, I would chase them but Brenda fed them and for hours afterwards, they continued to peck at the hull. This can be amusing, until it carries on into the night when you are trying to sleep.