uncharterd waters

Friday morning saw us up bright and early to prepare for the Slough Canal Festival.

Filling the water tank and washing down the boat then sorting out cruising ropes, deck chairs and BBQ.

Neil and Kath of Herbie arrived and within a couple of hours we were ready for the off. The weather had remained very mild but it was no real surprise that as soon as Neil turned the key in Herbie and the engine fired up, that it started to rain. Our neighbour Lydia has a saying......Herbie on tour, rain will pour. Actually I just made that saying up, but it is Lydia's theory that it always rains when Herbie goes out.

After a couple of initial clunks from the starter motor I eventually got Lady Elgar fired up and emerged topside. Neil had cast off and put Herbie in gear and set off for Slough. Well, after 1 and a bit boat lengths he came to a dead stop with his prop fouled. We had just slipped and were heading in the opposite direction but not wishing to miss out on an opportunity for I enquired if he wished "A Tow"....."Never" was the reply as he dived down into his weed hatch.

We crawled over to the High Line base as we obviously had picked up weed also and then bunkered the fuel tank, dumped the loo and cleared the prop.

A short motor east and we turned at the windly windly hole and set off back to follow Herbie.

It had now stopped raining and was very pleasant again. We then had a phone call from Neil asking if we could pick up the strimmer as the mooring site had a few nettles so as we passed base we picked up the cordless strimmer.

No further problems with weed and we eventually arrived at the festival site and with the aid of Neil Kath and another chap we tied up as close to the bank as possible which was very very shallow.

As it happens, there was little point in sprucing the boat up earlier as the reed and rushes have hidden LE from view.

Maybe the organisers are not overly bothered about visiting boats?

Any way, Bunting very kindly made by Kath was adorned over the roof and we finished off the colour by hanging two flags between Herbie and LE.

The strimmer proved to be useless as it hadnt been charged so will have another go with it after a night o charge.

A few sherberts on the tow path and eventually we retired indoors to await the grand opening Saturday.