Shardlow to Willowbrook Moorings
The levels seemed to have a downwards trend this morning, just a shame the forecasted levels weren’t to continue in that direction! What will be will be, we always knew the River Trent in winter would be interesting, or not as the case may be!
There were a few lulls in the rain so Mick took the opportunity to head off to the Co-op for a Saturday newspaper. Before he left he fired up the engine to top the batteries up.
As I pottered away inside I heard the engine tone change. Nothing like the washing machine or dishwasher were on, but it sounded like one of them had just started a heat mode. That wasn’t all either, there was a sort of rattling sound coming from the engine. Maybe Mick had left a spanner on top of something and it was vibrating? I gave him a call and turned the engine off for further investigation on his return.
The engine board was lifted, things checked over, engine started up. Hmmmm! The batteries weren’t charging as they should. The rattling noise continued. Maybe after five years the alternator had gone. What a handy time for it to fail, New Years Eve with an extra bank holiday on Monday! The invertor was turned off, minimal use of power required.
We put our heads together, we could sit in candle light for the next few days reserving what was in the batteries for the freezer and fridge, or we could find somewhere to plug in. Shardlow Marina wouldn’t be possible as we’d have to go down onto the River Trent. Mick tried calling Chapel Farm Marina. The person he needed to talk to had just left, but hey would try to get him to call us back.
Next Mick tried across the way, JD Narrowboats. A chap answered the phone who wasn’t meant to be at work today. He could give us a mooring, but there wouldn’t be any power. He suggested a few things to Mick but none of them were suitable for our set up sadly.
On our way into Shardlow I’d made a comment about the moorings above the lock, some of them having power. There had been a big sign saying that moorings were available. Mick walked up to have a look and take down the phone number. He called and chatted to Tracy. They don’t normally do short term visitor moorings but they would be able to help us out until we got sorted. If we moved up the lock they would come and see us later to get us hooked up.
After lunch the wet weather gear came out. The trip computer was fired up to run Water Explorer for the last time before the site is taken down. Would we be the last boat to be recorded as moving on the site?
We reversed back to wind outside JD Narrowboats. Two boats had pulled up outside The Clock Warehouse, presumably for the new year. We worked our way back up the lock and pulled into the mooring. Mick then said that the alternator now appeared to be working again! What!!! However it couldn’t be trusted.
Tracy and partner arrived around 4pm, got us plugged in, took a meter reading and took a cash deposit from us, any funds not used when we leave will be returned to us. We were also sent their address should we need it to have a new alternator sent to us.
I got on with cutting out foamcor for the giant mug. Followed by discs of yoga mat and sections for the sides. I thought I’d have a go at taping it all together to make sure it would work. Just as I thought, the softness of the yoga mat was not suitable to stand up on it’s own. I tried fixing the sides to a base piece and all that happened was that it all bent over onto itself! Hmmm, a rethink is required. Maybe if I make the mug out of foamcor first then cover it in the mat? I could get a carpenter to make it out of wood, bending skin ply round a former. This would be far more solid, but what they are wanting to do with the mug requires it to be as light weight as possible and as soft as possible to avoid injury, yet keep it’s shape.
Before resorting to carpenters I’ll see what I can do with foamcor. The mug will only have to last for a few shows, not months. So I’ll see what I can do first.
I also turned my attention to places to stay in Huddersfield for production week. My preferred Premier Inn has shot up in price over the last few weeks, almost doubling. Travelodge was still cheap, but a bit of a walk away from the Theatre. Time to look elsewhere, possible AirB&B apartments were looked at, more research required.
Chicken Tagliatelle this evening with a difference, we didn’t have any tagliatelle! Fuseli did the job though. We watched the film Yesterday whilst the whole of Derby seemed to be setting off fireworks. Thankfully Tilly isn’t too bothered by them. Big Ben bonged the New Year in, we watched the fireworks which went on forever! Derby kept up with the capital, explosions continuing for another hour.
Our hopes for the new year are charging batteries and dropping river levels.
So all of us on Oleanna would like to wish you all a
Happy New Year
1 lock, WE the last cruise 0.37 miles, Pip’s Nebo 0.4 miles, Mick’s Nebo 0.5 miles? 1 wind, 1 unexpected cruise to end the year, 1 failing alternator, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 boat plugged in, 2 many bird feeders, £450 or £250? 1 very floppy mug, 1 new year facing the wrong way, 1 walrus.
Happy New Year to you 3.