This is the blog of Norwyn & Sheila aboard their narrowboat Shell Bell.
Bright sunshine greeted us this morning, and after a leisurly breakfast captain Norwyn took Ben through the daily engine checks. Once the checks were complete we set off in the sunshine. Our first destination of the day was Fradley junction so we could take on water and empty the loo tank,this took longer than expected as we had to wait in line to get on the water point. Once under way again it was time for Ben to take the helm and take Shell Bell through the locks which he managed with great aplomb. Whilst this lesson was going on Claire was working the locks with Sheila. We continued on to Rudgely where we turned shell bell in the winding hole by bridge 65 and we made our way back to Handsacre our chosen mooring for the night.
Shell Bell turning round
Ben and Claire joined us wednesday evening and, after a good nights sleep, we made ready to leave the marina. We set sail around 10:15 and headed off for Alrewas, it was a bright, breezy day and we made good progress soon arriving at the first lock of the day. With a willing crew we were through in no time at all. We stopped for lunch at Branston water park, home made soup was on the menu and very good it was too. With steering lessons for both Ben and Claire the afternoon was good fun with both taking to it like ducks to water, a restful next few days for captain Norwyn with this expert crew aboard. As we passed through Barton underneedwood we stopped at the diesel boat and topped the tank up. The evening was spent installing another blind (only two more to go) and Ben and Claire got some fishing in with Claire catching a small bream, better luck tomorrow Ben.
We woke this morning to the sound of rain drops, although temperature-wise it was very mild. Today its been odd job day .The slight leak in the shower pump has been stemmed for the time being anyway. The bolts linking the gear box and the prop shaft have been checked and replaced as required. For some time now we have been debating about new curtains or blinds, so today we drove into Burton and purchsed a blind as a trial. We then spent the afternoon installing and modifying said blind and very nice it looks so more will be purchased- bye, bye curtains. The rain stayed around most of the day although there were some dry spells enabling us to have a short walk aruond the marina this evening. The weather forecast is better for tomorrow so more odd jobs and a bit of fishing whilst we wait for Ben and Claire to join us tomorrow night.
The new blind
We travelled back to the marina today. We left Bungay at 09:30 and had a nice trip arriving at the marina around 12:30. W,e soon had the car unloaded and the water and gas turned on. The afternoon has been spent doing odd jobs, grouting the tiles in the shower and replacing the impellor and seals in the shower pump, although at the moment we still have a slight leak from the pump. Hopefully this problem will be solved tomorrow !!. This evening we walked into Willington and made a nice circular walk by coming back via the towpath. Ben and Claire will be joining us Wednesday night and the plan is to cruise down to Great Haywood and return to Mercia marina the following Monday.
Nothing much to report on the house move front. It is still be held up by our buyers problem with a piece of land. At the weekend we had a family reunion on Sheila’s side and it was nice to catch up with all of them. Today is Sheila’s birthday so we had a nice day in Southwold. Most of our time at the moment is being spent walking and in Norwyn’s case fishing as well. We are planning a trip back on board Shell Bell next week and Ben and Claire are coming to join us Wednesday so what’s the betting that the house sale gets the green light.
Southwold harbour
Well the heading says it all the house move is still held up it is now becoming very annoying. Will be chasing again tomorrow (Friday), must get some positive news soon. It has been 4 months since we sold. We have spent the time at home well, most things are packed and we have been out and earmarked the new furniture we require for the bungalow. Norwyn has been spending sometime fishing with mixed success. We have also done a lot of walking and birdwatching visiting the RSPB reserve at Minsmere and the coast at ness point Lowestoft. Hopefully when we know what is going on about the move we can make some plans to go back on board Shell Bell. The quotes for the modifications to Shell Bell are in and hopefully these will take place early October.
RSPB Minsmere fantastic place
Ness Point the most easterly point in the country
We are now back in Bungay and packing ready for our house move. We hope to exchange contracts next Friday with the move close behind. This means we will be not be on Shell Bell for around a month but hopefully we will go back for a couple of days to do some odd jobs on board. We are also waiting for quotes to come in for some alterations too the interior of shell bell. We will blog about these when we are having them done.
We woke this morning to the sound of heavy rain but after breakfast it had eased a bit so we decided set off for Mercia Marina. Slowly making our way past the moored boats a call from narrowboat BRIMSTONE enquiring if we were going through the lock. We were so Brimstone joined us in the lock. In fact we locked up with Tony and Marilyn through four locks and we parted company at Swarkstone. By this time the rain was heavy and it had been raining all morning. It was around 3pm when we made the sharp turn into the marina and moored Shell Bell on the pontoon. The house move looks to be sorting its self out so we will go home to Bungay and make ready to move.
Captain Norwyn now feels like a real sailor. He has had to go down the weedhatch to clear some rope and plastic which had gathered round the prop!!!!
After a day spent loafing in Loughborough, including a Tesco top up, this morning we set off in bright sunshine. The destination today was Shardlow and that would mean being back on the Trent and Mersey canal. Arriving at the first lock we waited for a boat to come up. At the second lock we topped up the water tank before locking through. The third lock we shared with Peter and Sandra on narrowboat Moorlands, in fact we shared the next lock with them as well. Sawley lock was a bit of a challenge as it is electronic and sometimes has a lock keeper on duty but not today, it was quite busy but captain Norwyn and members of another crew soon worked how it worked (well eventually). Once through Sawley it wasn’t long before we left the river and joined the Trent and Mersey arriving in Shardlow at 16:30, and mooring at the pub.
- Nice big river
Another early start 8am and we said farewell to Bob and Ron as they moved on and we stayed put to have a look round Mountsorrel. We walked into the village. It was a small but pretty village with a buttercross similar to our home town of Bungay.
- Mountsorrel buttercross
We also found a farm shop with a small museum and visitors centre for the farm.We bought some eggs,potatoes and home made cakes then made our way back on board. The afternoon we spent having a leisurely cruise down the river soar to Loughborough where we have moored for the night. Our plan is to stay here tomorrow then move on Thursday.
- the fabulous river Soar
