Crammed into Cal Guy Jnr’s UK visit were two more museum visits. First was the trip to the National Museum of Computing https://www.tnmoc.org/our-story. Going on a Wednesday seemed a good idea - it wasn’t! Visitors intending to go should check the opening times, currently Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The Museum is at Bletchley Park, within Milton Keynes. For a Californian for whom a “rotary” (UK road layout roundabout) is a rare sighting, a game of Guess how many roundabouts there will be was a novel car game…!

While the Captain was immersed in explanations about the workings of the Bombe (WW2) and Colossus (first electronic computer) Boatwif and Cal Guy Jnr found different artefacts more riveting.

Remember Ernie? (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment was invented by one of the original Colossus engineers in 1956.)

Then there was a return to Duxford, the Imperial War Museum over in Cambridgeshire. Though not an Air Day there was movement on the runway and in the skies overhead.

A Douglas (US Navy R4D) adapted for maritime use

A BAC Trident in BAE colours, (of particular interest to Mick of nb *Oleanna*, whose father flew this aircraft)

There’s a gallery walkway right round the large AirSpace hanger - to be above the iconic Vulcan, Concorde and Sunderland aircraft is a thrilling experience.

Down at ground level the Captain had information to impart to anyone who would listen; Boatwif meanwhile was distracted by other things. Who knew that an aircraft Black Box is in fact always orange?

You often hear about museums “refreshing” their displays to keep visitor numbers up. Just how complex it must be to reposition large objects, aircraft even…

In the Conservation in Action hanger you are reminded that this is the Imperial War Museum whose brief is not limited to aircraft only.

Field Marshall Montgomery’s campaign caravans in WW2

At the far end of the public viewing area is the sleek structure of the American Air Museum.

The aircraft and exhibits seemed unchanged since the last visit

but the human factor shone through, first in the number of quotes lining the walls beside the pedestrian viewing ramp that arcs alongside and above the aircraft.

Secondly, as you gaze down at the floor you see a number of glass cabinets in which uniforms of serving personnel, individually named, are displayed.

(Only four months ago the Captain received confirmation that his flying kit is now on display in the March Field Air Museum in Riverside County, California).

Cal Guy Jnr beside his grandfather’s 1970s flying kit

The visit to Duxford happened to be on 4th July, America’s Independence Day. Though there were no American snack options in the cafeteria of the American hanger, there was a duty to be done at sundown as the Captain lowered first the California State flag and then the Stars and Stripes.

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These days Things get in the way of long summer cruises. ‘Things’ can be Appointments - medical, dental, hospital clinics – and family visiting from far away.

This year breached canals (the Bridgewater Canal near Manchester and the Macclesfield Canal at Bosley) scuppered early plans to cruise to Liverpool. Throughout a difficult summer for the waterways trees have fallen blocking navigations, lock structures have suffered impact damage and vandalism, while low water levels in the feeder reservoirs and in the canals have resulted in lock use restrictions and closures…

With only a couple of weeks to spare before locks up to the Leicester Line will be closed the Cleddau crew reviewed and postponed the Liverpool Substitute Cruise Plan (ie. Destination Lincoln) and set off to reprise their April cruise to Market Harborough and back.

Cleddau was reversed back from the pontoon on a sunny morning.

There was no point in tying up at the marina’s service wharf for fuel since the marina’s diesel pump was currently broken…

Cleddau turned right after the exit, passed Crack’s Hill where, surprise, surprise, the sinking /sunken boat has been removed. Onwards, on past Yelvertoft Marina, past the lovely Welcome Home cottage where a chicken was obviously very comfortably at home…

and on along the Leicester Line. Nearby was the tractor and the shepherd’s hut.

This is agricultural country. Last time the fields were sizzling citrusy yellow with linseed rape bursting into flower; now fields are a faded straw colour, but is this evidence that harvesting is a more mechanised and technological process than it used to be…?

There were no Wednesday guests at the Adult Only Glamping site

Three hours or so after departure a quiet mooring not far from the Avon Aqueduct and Welford Junction was found.

Thursday’s priority was to fill up the diesel tank with fuel. Left at the Junction.

To get to the fuel point at North Kilworth Marina takes patience to meander through a lake of islands (or so it seemed in April 2024, https://www.boatwif.co.uk/boat-update/double-trouble-2 .) With foresight the Captain had made some phone calls – and ascertained that at North Kilworth Wharf there was fuel AND an operational fuel pump.

By mid-morning Cleddau had pulled in at the Wharf, double breasted (stern to bow) against a moored boat. While the fuel tank was being filled, the canal seemed congested, boat traffic moving south from Husband’s Bosworth Tunnel and north from the Welford direction. (“Oh, wave again, there was Tim on nb Nice Butt.”)

The fuel tank was filled and The Captain crept from Cleddau’s stern across the bow locker of the moored boat to pay for the fuel. It seemed a perilous option, but it was his choice over jumping down into the very deep well deck, then to leg it up on the opposite side.

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.

It was a full immersion… it took the Captain and another chap two attempts to haul Boatwif out and up over the high sided bow. “I’ll grab your trouser leg,” said the other chap.

It’s not the falling in that hurts, it’s the bruises sustained in in being dragged back over heavy steel!

After a hot shower, a hot drink, clean dry clothes and fresh footwear Boatwif was soon ready again for crew duties. Colourful bruising on the inner arm and outer thigh is evidence of the unexpected contact between flesh and metal. Specs and watch survived, not so the camera which had spent rather too much time under water to be brought back to life. (Photos hereafter taken on a phone)

Onward, lights and life jackets made ready for the Husband’s Bosworth Tunnel.

The other side of the tunnel always seems another world – the Laughton Hills have a visual appeal all of their own, gentle rolling folds and slopes topped by trees. Against a pale grey sky it was a two-tone world, dark green smudges edging the parched and sand-coloured grazing fields.

Onwards, through a green corridor, then surprised by a sudden bankside riot of colour.

Onward, closer to Foxton Locks. There’d be queues in the morning, was the reasoning, after that day’s total closure on the flight to conserve water.

Just past Lubenham Lodge (Bridge 59) is a gap in the trees; the canal passes some 30 feet above a patchwork of paddocks, whose occupants, 14 of them, proved very quiet overnight neighbours…

To gaze down the Foxton flight on a non-operational day is a weird experience: no crowds of ice-cream licking gongoozlers, no life-jacketed lockkeepers, no windlass-wielding boat crew, no boats…

Mid- afternoon on a day when no boat movements were allowed

Come the next day Cleddau was third in the queue to descend Foxton Locks, once the line of 5 (another boat added to make 6) ascending boats had arrived at Top Lock. Despite an early alarm clock there was still a two hour wait at the top, but conversation between fellow boaters and spectators is always easy.

– through both staircases of five, to the bottom, to turn right and head east towards Market Harborough. Then in ten minutes there were 2 memorable Monkton Moments* (see below).

This civilised market town talks up its history via information panels throughout the town and in the Market Hall.

(it really is a little narrow street!) (Specially sized for “Little Granny”)

Good coffee shops and numerous clothes shops abound, a splendid kitchen and homeware shop (The Kitchen Range CookShop) now has a rival Lakeland across the way and the Waterstones book shop is never short of customers.

Yet the Co-op had a security guard on the door. There might be an explanation for this next time…

Feetnote: the Boat Boots took 2 days to dry our after their unplanned immersion…

Cruise stats since last post: 23.5 miles, 10 locks, 2 swing bridges, 1 tunnel

*2025 Monkton Moments* (Monkton Moment*- a reference to / recognition of Cleddau’s Pembrokeshire connections) – now 6: (5) Walker on towpath below Foxton Locks: “ For 27 years I went to Tenby on holiday”; (6)Day boat hirer: “BEGELLY! My Mum and Dad still live there, I still go to see them…”

2025 Towpath Dinners: 5 / now 6

Towpath Pimms: 1

Immersions various

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Dragon boats, narrowboats and motor vehicles