Monday 15 July 2013

Another scorcher...

It was another scorcher of a weekend in Bradford-on-Avon. I want to remind myself, later in the year, that we did have some very hot weekends. It is easy to forget when we are in the depths of Autumnal/Winter gloom, that we did have some beautiful, hot weeks during the summer.
The swan with her cygnets, about two posts below: we fed the three of them on Saturday, come Sunday - only one cygnet. The smaller of the two was no longer with her. Don't know what happened to it. They came ashore for the night about 6 boats down from us, nothing to be seen of the little'un. Sad, but that's nature.
It is the time of year when all sorts of things go on. There was a canoeing regatta from Pack-Horse Bridge:
Getting ready...
And they're off!
Later, we could hear some sea shanties being sung. Gradually getting louder...
They sang their way to the park below the Tithe Barn and entertained the crowds.
Some pirates arrived in this small craft, they too entertained the children in the park below.
 

Monday 8 July 2013

Phew! That was hot!

Judy & I moved Constance from above Bradford-on-Avon lock to below, beyond the Tithe Barn.
It gets quite hectic at BoA and this weekend was no exception. It is the first lock that many of the hire-boaters meet and sometimes it can be quite entertaining.
Having moored beyond the Tithe Barn we had come visitors begging for scraps.
On Saturday it was the start of BoA's Arts Festival, there was a street market on the green by the river and bridge. The church tower was open to visitors so Judy and I went up to the bell ringing room and on up to the bell tower itself. I now understand the  mechanisms involved with bells & ringing. I have looked at the 'changes' notation but I am not sure I will ever understand that! Outside the bell tower there was a training bell setup.
Judy had a go at bell ringing - she was quite good. They were only disappointed that she would not join their bell-ringing group.
 
Sunday was Wimbledon Men's Finals day, Radio 5 Live was pre-tuned so that Judy could listed to the Murray Djokovic match. The Steam Launch 'Lorina' puffed up to the lock and later puffed serenely back again. With a lovely smell of steam coal smoke and, what looked like, a lovely little 3 cylinder reciprocating engine doing the work.

Congratulations to Murray! He won Wimbledon 2013.

Thursday 4 July 2013

Busy weekends...

Last weekend was a busy weekend on the canal. I could not find a better mooring so I stayed where I was and did more painting. The bathroom is now Buttermilk gloss. The floor panel is white gloss. I am still waiting for the porthole liner so the tiling will have to wait.
This weekend is the start of the Bradford-on-Avon Festival. I think it is going to be even more busy!