It was calm and sunny as we set off from Shardlow for Willington. Shell Bell is going to have her bottom blacked and new sacrificial anodes welded on the hull.(These help prevent corrosion) We are also having central heating installed. The journey would be 11 miles and five locks. At the first lock we went through with a nice couple from Porstmouth who had picked up their hire boat the evening before. We ended up going through all five locks with them. This was good for us and them because these double locks are very heavy and can be quite
locking up with the couple from Portsmouth the 1st lock of five
rough. We stopped at Swarkestone for lunch.Then on route to Mercia a tree decided to pinch the rain cover from Shell Bells chimney and deposit it in the canal more expense when we get to the chandlery at the marina. With no more mishaps we arrived back at Mercia Marina at 5.30pm.
We are going home while the work is being done and hope to see our neice Kirsty before she goes off to Tanzania next week. As part of her MA she will be working at the Umoja centre – an educational charity. She will also be doing some research there. We will also be catching up on our house sale.