Saturday 10 August 2013

Into the inky blackness

We are back on the canals are a short and pretty swift run down the tidal river from teddington. It had its anxious moments, chiefly before we started. The JP engine is supposed to be run in low compression on rivers when worked hard but my low comp adjusters produced lots of noise and smoke but generated little confidence among the crew. So I stayed in high and took it easy. Fortunately after 15 mins pushing we could feel the tide turn and soon were racing through
Richmond at a heady 7mph.
Tonight we are in Brentford tucked under the last surviving overhead loading bay from the working boat days with just the ghosts of old boaters and the pigeons for company.
It's odd being back on the canals: no more plastics, no more bobbing on waves, DIY locks and murky water the colour of old engine oil instead of the clear deep river. I'm not sure we like it but I'm sure we soon will

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