Homeward Bound

We are now slowly making our way back to Aston Marina where we will get Venture ready for winter. I did wonder whether this period without running the engine would see us running out of battery power. But with only the fridge as a significant consumer we seem to be OK, although I note that the battery voltage has dropped to 12.2V - not enough to fire up the central heating but we are very happy with the log burner.

The boat is turned around on Tixal Wide, the easiest about turn ever. It's been a delightful place to moor, and a place we will happily return to.

It's only a couple of miles and one lock to Weston, mooring just before bridge 80. The short journey has generated enough hot water for a couple of showers, the first in several days and probably needed before we go out to either the Woolpack or The Saracen's Head.

The Woolpack is a rather traditional looking Marston's pub. But we have eaten off their menu twice on this trip, and don't fancy a third helping. Plus the Saracens is promising live music (acoustic) and is by far the closer of the two. The pub is busy and we haven't booked a table. Fridays and Saturdays always seem to take us by surprise, I think it's that post retirement feeling that every day is a Sunday. After 10 minutes we manage to get a table. The food is excellent, though the music doesn't happen.

Saturday morning dawns bright and sunny. I heat water on the cooker and wash down the interior woodwork and roof and one exterior side of the boat. The other side, facing the canal, will be done when moored in the marina

We leave Weston at about 11.30, escorted by a flotilla of swans. It might be November, but it's warm enough for just a t-shirt.

It's a lush landscape, very green and gentle 

Approaching the only lock of the day I jump off the back of the boat in order to go ahead and set the lock. There is a shiny mooring chain lying on the towpath, which has now joined Venture's equipment store. I shall get rid of the old chain that is missing one of its rings.

Pull into our marina, refuel, and reverse into our mooring. I really appreciate the lack of wind today. Every time that I have tried this manoeuvre previously I have ended up being blown all over the place and totally failing. Sadly there is no one watching today

Loads of hot water, so wash down the boat's second side, scrub the decks, remove and rinse out the centre line ropes. And that's all the available daylight used

Up early on Sunday morning to continue packing up. One bag of logs to go back with us, so three bags have lasted for two weeks

The newly polished vent goes back on the newly varnished door

In addition to the usual packing away and cleaning we are also getting the boat ready for winter. We have been running down the water over our two week trip, and now using lots to clean the boat inside and out. It's difficult to know how much water remains. The hatch to the tank looks like it hasn't been opened for years, and I'm not going to start now as I think that would send a shower of paint flakes into the water supply.

So turn the water off and leave all of the taps open to protect against frost damage. Leave drawers and cupboard doors open to allow air to circulate. Bring the ladder and gang plank off the roof and store inside

The only hiccup is the toilet. The instructions suggest draining the water from the toilet pipework by pressing the flush button. But this does nothing. Investigate. Electrical supply is live, but cannot see anything that might function as a pump. Mystery not solved. The pipework is flexible tube so guessing it would survive freezing and just leave it

It is 2pm by the time all of this is done and I have updated the engine and maintenance logs. It has also started raining. We have been so lucky with the weather on this trip, so I take this as a sign it is time to leave

We are both very happy with Venture, it's a lovely boat, and very easy to handle and to live aboard. So until next year, we bid her farewell, and make the one hour journey back to Manchester 

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