Water tank topped up?- Check!. Batteries charging ok?- Check!! Store cupboard topped up?-Check! Beer cupboard topped up? Check! All those chores were completed by 2pm on Saturday- we were feeling snug & cosy on the boat, so we decided to “up the game” a little and take a chilly trip down towards the Fox & Anchor and find a quiet mooring for the night. No reason except that Harebell has a way of making you want to nudge her out of the marina and stretch her legs, even if it’s only for a mile or so.
Oh, but how things have a way of turning the simplest of trips into a right pain in the backside!! No less that 10 minutes into our trip, just through a bridge hole the prop came to a shuddering and jolting stop. Marcus tried the old trick of putting the her into reverse and revving the engine, but whatever was round the prop was not giving up without a fight. All the prop was able to produce was a wailing like a soul in torment and the boat shook in agreement! Nothing else for it of course except a crawl into the darkness to access the weed hatch and remove the debris by hand. I made sure that I was not in Marcus’ way and offered support from the sidelines. A few minutes later, a whole pile of thick, heavy plastic was unwrapped from the prop and deposited in a carrier bag. The step was put back and the the engine was started up again and off we set for a few seconds until the prop came to a shuddering and jolting stop. Ugh! Either more debris or even worse, damage sustained as a result of the plastic wound round the prop.
Nothing else for it of course except a crawl into the darkness to access the weed hatch and to investigate. I made sure that I was not in Marcus’ way and offered support from the sidelines. A few minutes later, a second plie of thick, heavy plastic was unwrapped from the prop and deposited into carrier bag number 2. It must have been lurking about, just behind the prop, ready for when we started off and “whooop” round the prop it wound itself with the first few turns.
The rest of the weekend passed in an uneventful, but cosy, evening and Sunday morning on Harebell before a short cruise back to the marina. The woodstove is small but mighty and the warmth and cosiness that emanates from it is just superb….I could just spend the morning reading by the fire- Oh wait, I did!
