Bonny and I had a well earned rest at Hopwas until Sunday morning when we mooched back to Fradley, stopping at the new King’s Orchard Marina where I filled up with diesel for 80p a litre which was a good rate for red diesel. I then found the last space on the visitors mooring on the Coventry at Fradley Junction, ready to take her into dry dock on Monday morning.
I had thought that if I get the boat up before 9am I could transfer my belongings at leisure into my car to be transported to Stan’s. However, when I got to the Junction Tom, the boatyard owner was already there so it was all a bit of a rush to get my bags etc off as well as remembering the jobs I wanted Tom to do on the boat while she was out of the water. As well as having the hull blacked (painted to keep the rust at bay – called blacking because of the bitumen based paint they use,) I also needed a small welding job to be done, the tiller bearing to be replaced and my tunnel bands repainted. All of that will cost me in excess of £550 and my licence is also due this month – costing another £770 so not a cheap time in my boating world!
Here is my boat in dry dock – I forget what a big bum she has!!
Then, reluctantly I left Don’t Panic in a damp shed and went off like a refugee to be put up by Stan for the week – and very kind it was too of him to put up with Bonny and I as lodgers.
On Friday there was a treat in the shape of a host of pre WW2 cars coming to the junction as part of a rally. Here are some highlights…
A 1911 Maxwell – my favourite.
Aston Martin
SS Jaguar – Stan’s favourite.
I could go on! One of the cars apparently was recently sold for five million pounds!!!
I am also back to work now and the change from solitary cruising to living with someone else and being desperately sociable is a shock to the system! But since somebody managed to fall in a dry dock and die, we are not allowed to stay on board anymore, so I don’t know what I would have done without Stan offering me a roof over my head.
Having said that, I am very much looking forward to returning to my floating home. All the work is done but she will stay in dry dock for the weekend so the paint can dry properly (or cure). Then, promptly on Monday morning I will take possession, cruise to Alrewas to turn round and then, after 3 weeks, finally return to my mooring. Job done!
