It takes just two hours to get everything packed. After a leisurely breakfast we hit the lists we have previously prepared, arguably tthe most important one for food of course, but also important on the other list is the technology department plus of course clothes! Anyways we’re all done an hour before departure and the car, despite it being a hefty vehicle, is close to full after taking the roof down, which does consume some space of course.
The drive is easy, heading south, after the M69 we decide to go cross country to Napton Junction to eat up a bit of excess time as we are early for our scheduled booking-in slot at Calcutt Boats, and pull over for a sandwich lunch a few miles before our destination.
The boatyard is clearly a large operation with numerous hires available plus harbouring for owned vessels. Mary the lady-proprietor checks us in efficiently (and COVID-secure) before handing over to Andy our instructor for a recap on what various rules, regulations and regimes we need to understand. Next Andy takes us newbies through our first lock, which is just yards away, with Hubby at the helm as I will be the lock-monkey. Then after I fail miserably to stop at the first place to drop Andy, we head on a short while beyond to make sure we’re not going to trash the boat.
Having obviously passed the test we disembark Andy and immediately turn left into the Oxford canal, heading east, slowly learning more about how one steers a fifteen tonne and fifty foot long lump of floating metal. It’s interesting to note that the occasional bump is acceptable where necessary to correct one’s trajectory, preferably not someone else’s vessel.
Before long we are happily chugging along at four miles an hour, excepting where other boats are moored, when it’s necessary slow down, and fishermen are at it, when one has to remain central to the canal and slow down too.
Soon we hang a right into the Grand Union canal, heading next to our destination of choice which is Braunston, a picturesque village along side the canal. Hubby traverses the two locks needed to get us next to the Admiral Nelson PH where we moor up, another first, and then take a walk back into the village and return along the towpath to our new home.
Having sensibly restricted ourselves to shandy so far, it’s time to uncork a Chardonnay which we enjoy fully forward at the pointy end where a small searing area is to be found. Not happy with the angle-iron bench seating we use our folding two-seater picnic chair for a softer purchase instead. Then it’s time to cook Normandy Chicken in the rather well-equipped galley, which turns out exceptional.
The fridge is only small but we managed to get everything in.
I’ve had some text messages from the office requesting a couple of things but unfortunately with no internet at all, they are going to have to wait until we move on a bit, and likewise there will be no blog or photos for now.
