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.