Filling with water can be dangerous !!

Monday was a quiet day as planned and we only moved about four miles down to All Oaks Corner, which is one of our favourite moorings, arriving just after lunch. The weather was mixed, so we just relaxed on board and watched the numerous boats passing in both directions, including steam powered Adamant, making their way to next weekends Shackerstone Festival.

Nb Adamant

Tuesday saw us move down to Rugby and meet our youngest son Luke and his girlfriend Annabelle, who were joining us for a few days. Luke was recovering from four days at Leeds Festival but seemed to have had a thoroughly good time. We made our way up through Hillmorton Locks where only one of the duplicated locks were operating, and then on to Braunston in the sunshine. There were plenty of moorings available and we settled for one next to the marina entrance. We were treated to Nutfield and Raymond passing us as they returned from the Alvecote gathering. The way they were steered into the marina, breasted together, can only be described as deliberate and extremely precise !!

Nutfield & Raymond

We had planned to eat at The Plough in Braunston, but unfortunately it was shut due to a cellar problem, so we walked to The Boathouse where we hadn't eaten for some time as we weren't impressed the last time we visited. However following a change of name (from The Mill House) and chain, we were very impressed. Good deals on main meals with two for one offers and a huge menu choice, we will certainly be back sooner rather than later.

Today has been one to remember, and one that makes you realise that you can never take everyday events for granted. I walked into the marina to buy a new bow line from Tradline Fenders just after 9am. When I returned, there was a boat on the water point outside The Stop House, but I also noticed a man lying on the ground next to the standpipe and a lady crouched next to him. I went over to see what had happened and it transpired that 'Alan' had been pulling his hosepipe off the tap connection, when the hose gave way and he smashed his head onto the corner of the standpipe, causing a very nasty gash above his right eye. He was concious but very groggy, but said he wanted to sit in a chair as the ground was wet. I helped his wife to sit him in the chair and confirmed that an ambulance was on its way. However after a few minutes, he started to go grey and very quickly became unconcious. I lifted him out of the chair and back down onto the ground and checked he was still breathing. I then tried to get some reaction from him by pinching his ear and talking to him. After a short time some colour came back to his face and he started to respond to my voice and I kept talking to him and pinching him to prevent him drifting off again. After what seemed like an age, the paramedics arrived and I was able to hand over to the experts. Not the best start to the day, and we sincerely hope Alan quickly recovers from his injury.

Todays boating has been wet to say the least. We have travelled from Braunston to Yelvertoft. The rain started as we cast off this morning and hardly relented all day, until, that is, we moored up this evening. Luke and Annabelle have even had tea sat on deck chairs on the towpath - the good old British 'summer'.