In company with others . . .

After the past few days, a less exciting one would be good! As the throttle cable on the boat is the same age as the gearbox control cable, I reckoned that it might be a good idea to have a spare one on board so, before setting off, I went over to Foxton Boat Services again, and made the necessary purchase.

There was not a great deal of boat traffic around, and I journeyed on by myself for a couple of hours until I reached Napton Locks.

Here I teamed up with a Canaltime hire boat to work through the series of locks together - it makes things so much easier, and is kinder on water usage. The couple on board, Rob & Jane were from Scotland, and it was their first time to have a holiday on a narrowboat. They were really enjoying themslves. It turned out that he is a Chaplain at Falkirk Infirmary, so we made it an unspoken rule not to talk shop!

We reached Kilby Bridge Wharf in mid-afternoon, and I am planning to stay here for a day or two although, after a stop for late lunch, Rob & Jane were going on further before mooring for the night.

What next , I wonder . . .

The canal here is very river-like in its quality, and meanders along succesfully avoiding all the villages on route. I eventually arrived at Foxton at about 3.30pm and there was no queue of boats waiting to lock down. The lock-keeper set the top lock for me and in I went.

After he had drawn the paddle, I noticed that Chyandour was drifting back towards the cill of the top gate and applied some forward engine thrust to pull it forward. Imagine my surprise, then, when, instead of going forwards, it went backwards even faster! Not a good idea!

The long and the short of it was that the gearbox control cable had parted company with itself somewhere between the controller and the gearbox, and it was stuck in reverse.

The lock-keeper carried out all the necessary procedures and, after refilling the lock, I was able to pull the boat out and moor to the top bollards.

It just so happens that Foxton Boat Services operates out of the Bridge 61 pub and shop by the bottom of the flight and, when I went to see the owner there he was quite content to sell me a new cable to fit for myself. This was good.

Fortunately the fitting was not a long job and by 5.00pm I was ready once again to begin the descent of the flight. This was completed without further incident, and I moored up just below the locks at about 6.15pm.

These "just so happens" are happening quite a lot - aren't they? God is definitely good.

Patience is a Godsend . . .

The plan was that son-in-law Noel would take me to a parts place in Market Harborough for opening time at 8.15am, and then onto North Kilworth with the newly obtained fuel filter. That is indeed what happened. What was not planned for was that the filter I had bought on the advice given to Matt by yet somebody else, was not the correct one and, by the time this was discovered, Noel had left and was on his way back to Corby!

Various other things colluded to add to the delay and, in the end, I phoned Noel and he came back to collect me, take me to Market Harborough again to get the correct filter and back to the boatyard, before returning yet again to Corby. What a blessing that man is.

After a few other hiccoughs, one of which involved having to fit a secondhand filter casting because one of the connecting ports had been threaded, we did manage to get everything up and running and I was able to leave about 1.30pm with the aim of arriving at Foxton and locking down before the locks closed at 6.15pm.

A Sabbatical Sabbath . . .

Spent with Daughter and family, and including a visit to worship at their church - St. Columba and the Northern Saints. ( http://www.stcolumbascorby.org.uk/workpage.htm )

The modern building lends itself more easily to a free style of worship that is obviously Church of England, but which enables exeprimentation within what is allowable in terms of style and form of worship. It was all both worshipful and enjoyable, and I came away refreshed.

The problem assessed . . .

Matt, the engine man from North Kilworth Wharf ( http://www.northkilworthwharf.com ) spent a good while trying to get it started and working out what was wrong. Well, he got it started quite unexpectedly and was still uncertain as to what was causing the problem. We therfore made a decsion to change both the inline fuel filters and purge any air from the system right the way through.

The one snag to completing this today being that he did not have one of the filters is stock, and his supplier would not be open again until Monday morning.

You may remember that I was hoping to spend the weekend at Welford Basin, visiting daughter's family in Corby. It turned that they were not going to be around until the evening time and, in fact, North Kilworth would be an easier place for them to pick me up from, so I moved Chyandour onto a mooring opposite the boatyard and awaited their arrival.

The silent hours . . .

This was to come later. It certainly did not describe last night! The sound of the traffic on the M6, by which bridge I was moored (just by Watford Gap Service Station) had a way of penetrating the whole fabric of the boat, although it did seem better when I had removed my hearing aids!

The torrential rain of last evening had susbsided by this morning, although it was still very misty and humid. I left the mooring just after 6.30am in order to get to Welford Basin in the early afternoon.

The engine trouble didn't start until I was approaching Yelvertoft a couple of hours later, so I took the opportunity to stop there and have an early coffee break. There was still nothing obviously wrong, and I could no make it behave badly, so I started off again about 9.00am, having shared my concerns with the couple on a boat that had pulled up to take on water.

Soon after Bridge 30 it started its 'hunting' again and, shortly thereafter stopped altogether, and refused to start. "Dead in the water" is the approved expression! I floated on quietly for a bit, but it was not long before Juniper, the boat from Yelvertoft, caught up with me, and took me in tow. I was able to make contact with a boatyard at North Kilworth and, as Juniper was also headed there for a pumpout and to get fuel, they towed me the 5 miles or so. It was very quiet on Chyandour.

It's too easy to say that God sends help when we need it, although I do believe that is true; I must just make sure that, when things don't work out, I do not blame God for his apparent lack of concern. That is, after all, what got the disciples in the boat a good ticking off from Jesus for their lack of faith.

Onwards and upwards . . .

. . . although there is a bit of down to start with! The summit level of this bit of waterway is nearly at at an end and I have now to lock down in order to get to Napton Junction, a few miles and a number of locks away, where I shall join the Grand Union Canal towards Leicester. I want to be in Welford Basin by Saturday evening, so I made an early start again today, casting off the mooring just after 5.00am.

Four hours later I had completed the descent and stopped for a coffee break, and to take on water (very slowly - hardly any pressure in the tap!) and by 10.25am was passing the junction at Napton and turning on to the Grand Union Canal (Oxford Canal Section).

The engine continued to behave impeccably until just before Braunston, when the trouble of yesterday started up again. I took some advice from the engine fitter at Union Canal Carriers at the bottom of Braunston Locks which basically boiled down to "it's one of those strange things that are almost impossible to fix until they finally conk out!" Very useful! No doubt the saga will continue later.

Just as I was about to start locking up at Braunston, another boat was coming towards the locks and we joined forces, the locks being wide enough for two craft side by side. It turned out that Tim & Sara (for that was their names) are also members of Boaters' Christian Fellowship and their boat Florella normally lives on the River Medway. They had spent the previous weekend at Parkhead Junction on Dudley No.1 Canal for the Gardner Engine Rally that is held there most years. Small world, eh?

We worked up the locks together but, after going through Braunston Tunnel, they were intending to stop for a day or so to meet friends, whilst I continued towards Norton Junction. I continued through the junction towards the locks at Watford (of Watford Gap variety) and it was just before reaching them that the engine started playing games again. It did keep going, and I got to the locks in time to book a passage up before they closed. It was then that the heavens opened, and what had been a cloudy but dry day became an exceedingly soggy one!

Having finished locking up there by just after 5.00pm I decided to moor up for the night and wring myself out.

Totally new territory . . .

In more ways than one!

I started back from Cropredy at just before 1.00pm and within half an hour had had my first encounter with the extremely strong undertow from the top ground sluices on these locks. On starting to fill Broadmoor Lock I had left Chyandour tied by the centreline onto the middle bollard, as you can in many places, but within ony a few seconds the undertow had drawn her back and then violently forward again succesfully(?) causing the centreline to part with a terrific crack. I knew that the line had seen better days, but this did take me by surprise. Fortunately, on the lockside, there lives a fendermaker and supplier of ropes etc., so I was able to get a new one straight away!

I was reminded of the verse which promises me of God's presence at ALL times.

After that things went swimmingly well for several hours, until the engine started behaving quite oddly - increasing rpm for a few seconds for no apparent cause. But, it kept going, so I thought I would stop for the night and see what the morning would bring.

I moored up just short of the aptly named Ladder Bridge at about 5.45pm.

The next stage . . .

The last few days have been spent tidying up a few loose ends at home, and giving the lawns a mow before setting off on a longer pilgrimage on Chyandour.

Later on today I plan to drive David & Joan's car down to Broadmoor Lock on the Oxford Canal, just north of Cropredy, where they have moored for the night at the end of their summer cruise.

After swapping over at the boat, I shall go onto Cropredy to wind before starting on a trip which should take me up through Leicester on the River Soar and onto the River Trent, before turning West to join the Trent & Mersey Canal and making my way back home by 16 July. The map above will give you some idea of the route, moving anti-clockwise from bottom right to middle left.

There are a couple of other events that have to be squeezed into this time, but more of those anon.

Sharing Ministry . . .

Tim's first time as President at a Holy Communion service in his own church, with me as the invited preacher!

The gospel was from Mark's account of the stilling of the storm on the lake, and Jesus' rebuke of both the wind and waves and his close friends, whose faith seemed to have deserted them.

I have been thinking about the nature of faith and how it affects our life's journey as part of this sabbatical of mine, and I started the seeds for this sermon whilst I was in Assisi!

In a nutshell, it was fear that led Jesus' friends to be unsure of who he was, even when they had already seen a good number of miracles and the like.

What are the fears along our life's way? And do we do any better than Jesus' close friends in keeping our eyes on him?

May I run the race before me,

strong in faith to face the foe.

Looking only unto Jesus,

As I onward go.

It was a great privilege to share this weekend with Tim and his family and friends.

A very special day . . .

Tim was ordained priest today by Gordon Mursell, Bishop of Stafford, at St. Stephen's Church in Bentilee, a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent. It was a very lively service and five deacons were ordained priest during the celebration.

After the service, the folk from Tim's church, plus friends and family, retired to the local Primary School in Tim's parish for a finger buffet and disco.

An altogether positive experience, for which I am thankful to God who brought it all about.

Spaces in between . . .

It's not that nothing has happened, but I have realised that being at home feels so "normal" that there seems to be nothing to say.

When I got back from my few days at Foxton, I was able to start some painting at St. Andrew's where the north wall had been replastered. This will be completed over the next week or so, in order that the radiator can be fitted back in place.

I have counted this as part of the "holiday" section of my sabbatical - I do actually find painting quite relaxing! (Strange man :-) )

Foxton revisited . . .

Because Foxton had been quite quiet on Sunday, I decided to spend another day here on the way home from Liz and Noel's.

It was very busy indeed, and I had the opportunity for several conversations as I accompanied boat crew up and down the locks. It was also the second day of Foxton Schools' Week, in which the locks are visited by hordes of local Primary School children and their teachers.

The displays and workshops were being organised under the auspices of Wild over Waterways - http://www.wow4water.net/ - a Very Good Thing, sez me.

Accompanying another . . .

Yesterday I had the opportunity to have an outing on a narrowboat with Rod Lee, Vicar of St. Columba, Corby, where daughter Liz and her family worship. This was quite unexpected and very pleasant.

Rod moors the boat he shares with three others at Welford Basin Wharf on the Welford Arm of the Grand Union Canal - a very pretty and quiet spot. Although I am on sabbatical, it was good to be able have some fellowship over the tiller, supplied from time to time with hot drinks by Rod's wife, Glenda.

It was only a short trip down the arm and on to the winding hole at Downtown Bridge and return, but it was really relaxing and worthwhile.

Other peoples' journeys . . .

Today was spent at Foxton Locks in Northamptonshire.

I decided that I would be a hobbler for the day - someone who originally helped tow boats but now more often helps boaters work through sets of locks.

I had some really varied conversations, and some new insights into what benefit folk feel they get from taking time out from their usual routine.

This was all grist to the mill, and will be reflected upon more in due course.

The Promised Catch-up . . .

It is happening - slowly.

However, I am sneakily posting the entries where they should appear in the journal, so you may have to go back a few days to find them.

Catching up . . .

To those who have logged in regularly and found little to follow in recent days, my sincere apologies.

Since I last posted I have been up to my eyes in trying to breath new life into that dead computer.

The actual physical rebuild was completed relatively easily, but I was totally amazed at just how long it took to install the operating system, programs and, especially, the data.

I am so very thankful that the data was there in the back-up.

So, I am aiming to bring things up-to-date again over the next few days.

The Forth Bridge . . .

There is a significant difference between those who hire boats for holidays, and those who own them, either for holiday times or to live on permanently.

Those who hire them do not get "The Forth Bridge" experience.

This can simply be described as the necessity for some bit of maintenance or painting to be done on a boat on a continuing basis - just like those who paint the Forth Bridge. Once you have finished at one end it is time to start again at the other end!

So, true to form, today was the day on which David and I spent a few happy hours with my head and arms down the rear bilge replacing the stern-tube packing, and then changing the engine oil and oil filter. Painting comes later!

In a sense this refelects some aspects of life, and of our relationship with God. "God has not finished with me yet" - there is still room for improvement. As the master-craftsman, he knows just what it is that needs doing next; but, am I willing to let him improve me?