It’s odd to consider that nowadays Californians largely “worship” their motorised vehicles, without which the Captain and Boatwif would have seen far less of this astonishing region…

Two days later a gap in his work schedule made way for a breakfast reunion with Cal Guy Snr. The Captain and Boatwif duly handed over their “homework”, the return (on completion) of two books, ‘A Grandma’s Story’ and ‘A Grandad’s Story’, books that Cal Guy Snr had issued in November 2024…

The day after the flight the Cleddau crew were hit by an explosion of light and colour.

The graceful Coronado Bridge that soars over San Diego Harbor has to be photographed, as does the Downtown skyscraper skyline.

… Not all Californian eyecatchers are shots of scenery or built structures.

Despite what the body is signalling you have to defer going to bed for as long as possible - so to while away some evening time and begin the body clock’s re-set a pizza was had…

Tough that the best weather day would clash with a Wednesday Walk. When in cruise mode the Captain often chants the mantra: “Boat first! Boat first!” So, on a dry and rain-free Wednesday back to the boat it was. There she sat in quiet hibernation between two neighbours, her rear end dressed these days in a smart weather-proofed tonneau cover.   

Viewed through a gap in the trees Cleddau looked boldly blue against a palette of greens and yellows, browns and bronzes.

A fierce wind storm was in full blow that day; strong blasts were powering up from the docks and the river. It would not have been a day for a trip on the Mersey Ferry…

Part way along Hope Street, at the top of Mount Street, is a fascinating sculpture. It’s a pile of luggage, seemingly dropped haphazardly.

There was the Welford Reservoir dam wall and a totally dry overspill…

From the dam wall the markings on three depth monitoring poles can be monitored. The furthest pole is encased in dried out mud – presumably when water levels are healthier that pole is submerged…

Awoken the next morning by a hissing, graunching, large-vehicle-moving sort of noise, Boatwif and the Captain were surprised to see a very tall structure on Crick’s service wharf. A crane had arrived to lift one boat out and one boat into the water…

From a vantage point up in Llanreath the Captain and Boatwif munched a picnic lunch and observed the ferry’s arrival, berthing, unloading, reloading and departure…

A ping! on the phone announced yet another Canal and River Trust update. Aargh! This alert was local, this would seriously affect Cleddau’s Monday plans. Due to a broken paddle on the Foxton lock flight all the Foxton locks were CLOSED.

The flight being closed could have serious impact on plans for the weekend and onward travel to West Wales…

There must be an easier way, thought Boatwif, grabbing the folding plastic step from Cleddau’s engine room, placing it on the well deck of the moored boat for the Captain to use. She clambered back up onto the side of the moored boat, crossed to Cleddau’s gunwale, observed that it was slippy underfoot, said as much to the Captain behind her – and promptly slipped down between the boats.

Behind the main row, up on the right, there were signs of activity – a retail outlet for American clothing, a clutch of motor bikes, a few fancy cars. Yes, Gasoline Juice was open to Saturday fans happy to view cars and motorbikes, to sit surrounded by artfully arranged iconic pieces of transport memorabilia  and to digest coffee, cake – and pizza…   

With one more inspection still to do there was a drive out to Bollington to look at the site of the recent canal leak.  

Coffer dams and water pumps have been installed very near to Clarence Mill and a workboat nearby held piles of clay for plugging the bed and sides of the canal.

Down at the quayside residence was taken up on the ‘Cleddau floating caravan’, which provided a fine viewpoint for waterside action. Two old heritage boats chugged in. Great teamwork and a skilful helmsman saw nb Sculptor (usually moored outside the Stoke Bruerne Museum) neatly moored right opposite the gleaming top end show boats…