Wellingborough to Northampton

My final day on the Nene was spent cruising from Wellingborough, where I filled the water tank and topped up food supplies at the nearby Tesco.  Wellingborough provides good visitor mooring alongside a pretty park. Unfortunately on the opposite bank, behind the trees on the right, is a large bakery which runs all nightlong as I found on my journey home in March.

Leaving the Wellingborough visitor moorings

The river continues to wind its way through some beautiful countryside before broadening as it approaches Northampton.

On joining the last stretch of river I found the whole river covered in thick weed. Even in the clear channel the weed is just below the surface. It's amazingly tough stuff and wraps around the propeller slowing progress to a virtual standstill.  I had to stop several times to clear the prop before finally reaching Northampton and the calmer waters of the canal.

Weed Weed and more weed

Oundle to Wellingborough

My son Steve drove me to the marina on Saturday to pick up the boat and continue my journey after a short break ashore.

Red Kite

The forecast was good and I left the marina late morning in glorious sunshine. Shortly after leaving the marina I passed a couple of red kites enjoying the thermals. I managed to get a better picture this time. Such a beautiful bird I could sit and watch them fly all day. However, I had set myself the target of getting to Northampton in 2 days as there was work planned on some locks next week and I didn't want to get caught. 

I pressed on passing some lovely countryside before stopping for the night just outside Wellingborough at a mooring alongside the Rushden and Diamonds football club - sadly in receivership.  

The evening was not without incident. While making the bed I managed to catch a fingernail tearing it quite badly. Amazing how much that hurts.  Later while having a shower I ran out of water having forgotten to fill up at the marina. Thankfully I had bottled drinking water.

Back on the water

Mr Bunbury with splendid blacking and shiny anodes being lifted back into the water.
The adventure continues tomorrow.

High and Dry

Having had a lovely break with my brother's family on the IoM I visited the good ship Bunbury at the marina. The blacking and fitting of new anodes had been completed as planned but unfortunately the boatyard crane went faulty on Friday so the boat is currently high and dry. Hopefully the crane should be repaired on Tuesday, just have to wait and see. It has given me a chance to see the boat out of the water and take some photos for the log.