Dull Days on the Cut
Our headlamp illuminated the cut as we cruised through a prolonged, sudden spell of heavy mist. Visibility was terrible and made it difficult to spot oncoming boaters and gauge the distances between moored boats and canal banks.
It was bitterly cold! Everything was blurry, and I felt like I'd jinxed myself.
From the bow, I had spotted an object in the far distance. As we inched closer, it became obvious that it was a boat, and the driver flicked on his light to succour us as we chugged closer. We waved as our paths crossed.
In this weather condition, the 3 mph maximum speed of boats was comforting, as there's a shallow chance of an impactful head-on collision. However, that doesn't make navigating blindly any less nerve-wracking, so we took deep breaths of optimism that the mist would dissipate sooner.
On the other hand, the clock seemed to mimic the slow speed of the boat, but we continued to watch the time to meet our travel goals.
It might have been mind over matter, but the revving of the boat's engine amplified as my vision blurred; then the reflections in the water became pronounced, so I knew the mist was clearing.
After a few hours, the visibility was restored, and we pressed on.
Days like these are more challenging than others, and it helps when the schedule is flexible, but unexpected delays made us pressed for time, and we needed to maximise the hours.
A snippet of the map.
We had a few days of leisurely cruising along the Oxford canals, reliant on the Open Canal map, as we normally do. This tool is usually precise with live time travel estimation, water points, locks, waste facilities, shopping, and so on. There's also the Canal and River Trust, which gives updates on lock closures for boaters to plan their travel journeys. However, we were put out when we approached Braunston Locks. The announced closures were brought 2 days forward, so we were forced to detour and find an alternate route and location to moor.
With daylight fast disappearing at 3:30 PM, the expected travel times become irrelevant, and it all depends on how much we can persevere in the cold and find suitable mooring spots before dark.
This change itself was easy to figure out since we were in familiar territory. Within 2 days, we made it to Napton on the Hill from Braunston. However, Napton is a small town with a small corner shop only. That was not ideal since they carry limited stock at steep prices due to a lack of volume in the small community. It was good to get us by since we were low on food and other supplies. However, we decided to cruise for another 2 days to a bigger town and made it to Atherstone in Warwickshire, a larger town with multiple supermarkets and boating facilities.
Cruising the cut is not always smooth sailing, and we're more prone to adversities in the winter months. Still, I'm yet to meet a boater who rates the experience negatively. One of the most significant lessons that life on the narrowboat teaches me is to go with the flow and be prepared to weather all storms.
Thanks for tuning in, peeps:)
It was 7 days of winter cruising.
Travel Route:
Sutton Cheney Wharf to Braunston
Branston to Napton
Napton to Atherstone.
All the images included are original property of the author.
The adrenaline must have been high when steering blindly 😖
I'm not the one who steers the boat, but I know what it's like to drive through heavy fog and heavy mist. Not pleasant!
The good thing is that the canals are not so busy now and we're moving at a sluggish pace. The challenge is when the canals narrow and it's challenging to gauge.
Thanks for stopping by:)
I don't like travelling in winter because it's easier that there are dangers, apart from the fact that I'm very cold, hehe. It's funny how the photographs convey to me a state of calm and recollection while your story around them is an adventure that has kept me in tension, like a good novel. I'm glad the trip was successful.
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Thank you!
Yes, cruising in these conditions is not relaxing and if there were no time restrictions, we would have opted not to cruise.
I'm chuffed you enjoyed this and thank you for your selection and support:)))
You are really brave! Oh, prepare for whatever ahead!
Stay careful!
Thank you!
The mist was sudden out of nowhere. I've been enjoyed the last few days at one location:))
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Must be eerie to hang around it, but damn, that fog sure looks gorgeous to photograph :)
Yeah, and sometimes during these conditions we're so focused and tense that we forget to snap photos.
Haha! I noticed you said fog. The Brits say, "This mist was so sudden." ... and I sit there thinking, "This is fuckin' thick fog." 😅
Bro, mist was this thing in the pictures when it was in the fucking cradle :)) Do you ever wonder what they define as proper thick fog, though? I'd be scared!
Haha! Now, that you ask that! Let me hope that I never witness it 🙃😟
Not every situation can be smooth sailing. Like you said you have to go with the flow. Winter often gives us more challenges and we shouldn't be in a hurry to get to places. First dusting of snow today here, it will be soon go from trace amounts into inches and hopefully not feet 😬 Asides from the dangers it does give us a different look! I am always amazed with mist and fog, guess it just enhances my curiosity or maybe awareness, hehe.
Oh, wow! Your first dust. Aren't you lucky? Well, I get that... while it's possible that we won't get any more snow in the UK this winter, it's kind of normal for you to get a lot.
It's not like in the State here at all, the UK is NEVER prepared for snow.
I've driven through thick fog in Jamaica, and it's not pleasant. ZERO visibility and drivers are going like maniacs. 😡
I know the feeling. Even just a dusting I'm sure there will be many accidents today because crazy people will think it's nothing to worry about.
Yeah, that's the saddest part. I haven't driven in years, and I don't miss it for a minute.
Stay safe 🤗
Wow, I've never seen your navigation channels shrouded in fog... They are photographically perfect!... I love taking pictures in fog, fortunately I live in a place where we have many foggy mornings during the year... I loved looking at the photos you shared, I adored the one of the stone bridge reflected in the water in the middle of the fog... It's delightfully surreal!... And the one of the lantern with the horn on the roof is absolutely brilliant!...
But this last photo was the one that made me sigh! It's a photo that I would like to take!... BRAVO!
Thanks for sharing @millycf1976 friend!
!PIZZA
Hey @jlinaresp
Thanks for your kind feedback!
I love that photo that you've picked out too, and I was tempted to make it to the cover, but afraid to take the chance fearing that people would not read the post and think I'd gone bunkers 😂
I have these 2 that I quite liked too, but my internet is poor today and it was taking forever to load photos and eliminated some for some strange reason.
... Yet, they load in the comments section here without a problem.
I value your feedback, as always:)))
OMG!... This is epic!!...
But I agree with your choice for cover photo (the one with the headlamp and the horn) because it is the one that has the greatest visual impact and also immediately arouses curiosity... ;)
💯
That's why I went with it :)))
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@jlinaresp(4/15) tipped @millycf1976
Thank you so much:)))
!discovery 40
Hehe! Thank you:)
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Excelente la atmósfera de tus fotografías. Me gustan bastante. Principalmente la primera foto, y la naturaleza. Gracias por compartir 😊 tus experiencias a través de las fotografías, es muy enriquecedor.
I'm pleased you like them.
Have a nice day:)
It looks quite challenging to navigate the canals in such low visibility conditions. Great photos though!
It must be challenging to get food and supplies at times. I guess it makes sense that the small community shops would cost more because of supply and demand
Hey!
Thanks 😊
Absolutely!
Still, I don't mind paying a little extra, but triple the regular price is robbery 😅
It's a charming village though, but I only like staying there when I'm fully stocked up beforehand:)))
Yeah triple! That's too much. For sure
Lovely scenery, even if it is largely obscured by moody mists and cold. Here in the Inland Northwest, it has just been grey with clouds overhead and no sun to speak of.
Hey there!
Thank you 😊
I think grey clouds make winter harder, and rain too. However, it's been the same here the last 2 days. No sun at all:)
Behold, my sky.
Haha! I was waiting for the image to load, then I realised that it's
loadedclouded 🤣I even tried to tweak the contrast a bit to make it less monochromatic, but aside from drastic filters, nothing made a difference. It really is that bland.
Ok! I suddenly feel more appreciative of my clouds 😂
The fog was much at that time' boat travel is something I havent done always scared of it cause i cant swim if maybe it crashed. I like the idea of you guys stoping for the fog to clear off before proceeding
This world of canal sailing is still so appealing to me... brrrrrr I felt that cold here when I saw all that fog 🤓.
Being an islander, I bet you'd hate the cold though.
Thanks 😊
I still have moments of awe and I'm happy that I'm grateful to be able to live this way:)
Life is always an adventure! But you go from conquest to conquest. And your bike?
My bike is on the roof, but I haven't been riding because there's been a storm. However, I'm eager to go for a spin soon:)))
Ha! I saw a bicycle but I haven't seen any more rides from the cyclist.
(the cyclist in the storm!)
Hehe! If the weather is dry and mild, I'll go for a ride tomorrow:)
😃 Cool.
😍
@millycf1976, I paid out 0.662 HIVE and 0.198 HBD to reward 18 comments in this discussion thread.
Ok, if you say so! 😁
Coolio:)