Intrepid trip falls at the first hurdle
Once the bank holiday weekend was out of the way our attentions turned to Intrepid which was due to start the following Saturday.
JJ went down on the bank holiday weekend to get it ready for us – in particular to pump out the sewage tanks from his previous trip (ugh!) – and discovered that the engine was dead! We waited all week while he got the boatyard to check it out and get it fixed – they discovered that it was the head gasket. They had to order a new one and expected to get it on Friday morning and we hoped they would be able to fit it and get the engine running by the end of the day (they don’t work weekends!). So, we had to assume we would be leaving as intended on Saturday morning. I did the packing over the course of the week and prepared the tower donations. On the Thursday Suki and I went on an adventure to purchase pump out cards. Mike should have ordered these online but had failed to do so and it had got too late to get them delivered in time. So I looked up on the internet and found that there was a pub in Brentford that sold them. Mike went off to work and I went to Aerobics – had a shower when I got back and then Suki and I walked to Brentford. The direct route was just over 3 miles which Google told me would take 1 hour 6 mins. However, it was a nice day – sunny but not too hot - and I decided to make a nice river walk of it, going down through Chiswick House grounds and picking up the river at Corney Reach, and then walked along the Thames Path. This route turned out to be over 6.5 miles and took us two and a half hours. I had to tape up my feet at Kew because my sandals were beginning to rub! The pub was rather rough, clearly full of people who spend their life in the pub with a pint of lager, and although it stated on the web site that it was waterside it was hard to actually see where the water was. Overcoming my natural desire not to go in, I found it reasonably friendly and I actually ended up chatting to a couple of locals while I was sitting outside having a much-needed pint of shandy. My mission was successful in procuring the pump out cards, and Suki and I went home on the bus which was much quicker and less tiring! The bus stop was just at the top of the road and I got the 267 to Chiswick High Road and then the 272 to right outside our front door. On Friday Mike and I did the shopping together for the first two days of the trip – which was very efficient as Mike got the cheese and the meat from the deli and the butcher while I ran around the aisles picking up the other bits and pieces. There was a new Sushi stall which made the whole place stink of fish – making me feel very nauseous. I almost feel like writing to tell Sainsbury as I won’t be able to shop there anymore. Mike went off to find the cash machine – and when I went out of the front of the shop to look for him my trolley wheels locked (there were no warnings this would happen). I managed to lug it back inside and then had to get a member of staff to come and unlock it. Very irritating. I managed to get all the fridge stuff jammed into the fridge – just! By Friday evening everything was packed and in the living room ready to go. Then we heard that the engine part had not arrived and the boat would not be fixed until the following week. This was a real blow for Mike (whereas I was secretly pleased that I would be in my own bed for another couple of nights at least). All that organisation heading for the pan. And to top it all Claire also emailed to say she was probably going to have to drop out as her father was terminally ill - which meant there would not be enough to ring QPs on the first week. The trip covered 4 weeks with 4 different crews – rail tickets had been purchased and other transport arrangements made – and there were all the towers to sort out too. Mike spent Saturday morning cancelling the towers for the first week, ringing round boatyards trying to find a gasket (without success) and working out timescales for getting the boat to Northwich in time for the second week to go ahead – which mainly seemed to revolve around boating from 5 am to 10 pm every day!
Finding ourselves unexpectedly in London for the weekend Mike caught up with some work - as well as planning several alternative routes for Intrepid based on whether we would get away before the following Saturday and I was able to catch up with Numbers Club and other admin. Saturday was atrocious weather and we were pleased at least that we weren't on the boat in all that rain and cold wind. On Sunday Mike was busy all day! He played the organ at the convent and then went over to ring for a service at Limehouse. I was able to mow the lawn - which I had wanted to do but didn't think I had time. A lot of flowers were in bud and it looked as if we were going to miss the best of them by being away. In the evening we joined the choir at St Nicks for Friends Choral Evensong - the first Choral Evensong since the new organ was put in. This was followed by wine and canapes, and then Mike and I left before the AGM got going.
JJ went down on the bank holiday weekend to get it ready for us – in particular to pump out the sewage tanks from his previous trip (ugh!) – and discovered that the engine was dead! We waited all week while he got the boatyard to check it out and get it fixed – they discovered that it was the head gasket. They had to order a new one and expected to get it on Friday morning and we hoped they would be able to fit it and get the engine running by the end of the day (they don’t work weekends!). So, we had to assume we would be leaving as intended on Saturday morning. I did the packing over the course of the week and prepared the tower donations. On the Thursday Suki and I went on an adventure to purchase pump out cards. Mike should have ordered these online but had failed to do so and it had got too late to get them delivered in time. So I looked up on the internet and found that there was a pub in Brentford that sold them. Mike went off to work and I went to Aerobics – had a shower when I got back and then Suki and I walked to Brentford. The direct route was just over 3 miles which Google told me would take 1 hour 6 mins. However, it was a nice day – sunny but not too hot - and I decided to make a nice river walk of it, going down through Chiswick House grounds and picking up the river at Corney Reach, and then walked along the Thames Path. This route turned out to be over 6.5 miles and took us two and a half hours. I had to tape up my feet at Kew because my sandals were beginning to rub! The pub was rather rough, clearly full of people who spend their life in the pub with a pint of lager, and although it stated on the web site that it was waterside it was hard to actually see where the water was. Overcoming my natural desire not to go in, I found it reasonably friendly and I actually ended up chatting to a couple of locals while I was sitting outside having a much-needed pint of shandy. My mission was successful in procuring the pump out cards, and Suki and I went home on the bus which was much quicker and less tiring! The bus stop was just at the top of the road and I got the 267 to Chiswick High Road and then the 272 to right outside our front door. On Friday Mike and I did the shopping together for the first two days of the trip – which was very efficient as Mike got the cheese and the meat from the deli and the butcher while I ran around the aisles picking up the other bits and pieces. There was a new Sushi stall which made the whole place stink of fish – making me feel very nauseous. I almost feel like writing to tell Sainsbury as I won’t be able to shop there anymore. Mike went off to find the cash machine – and when I went out of the front of the shop to look for him my trolley wheels locked (there were no warnings this would happen). I managed to lug it back inside and then had to get a member of staff to come and unlock it. Very irritating. I managed to get all the fridge stuff jammed into the fridge – just! By Friday evening everything was packed and in the living room ready to go. Then we heard that the engine part had not arrived and the boat would not be fixed until the following week. This was a real blow for Mike (whereas I was secretly pleased that I would be in my own bed for another couple of nights at least). All that organisation heading for the pan. And to top it all Claire also emailed to say she was probably going to have to drop out as her father was terminally ill - which meant there would not be enough to ring QPs on the first week. The trip covered 4 weeks with 4 different crews – rail tickets had been purchased and other transport arrangements made – and there were all the towers to sort out too. Mike spent Saturday morning cancelling the towers for the first week, ringing round boatyards trying to find a gasket (without success) and working out timescales for getting the boat to Northwich in time for the second week to go ahead – which mainly seemed to revolve around boating from 5 am to 10 pm every day!
Finding ourselves unexpectedly in London for the weekend Mike caught up with some work - as well as planning several alternative routes for Intrepid based on whether we would get away before the following Saturday and I was able to catch up with Numbers Club and other admin. Saturday was atrocious weather and we were pleased at least that we weren't on the boat in all that rain and cold wind. On Sunday Mike was busy all day! He played the organ at the convent and then went over to ring for a service at Limehouse. I was able to mow the lawn - which I had wanted to do but didn't think I had time. A lot of flowers were in bud and it looked as if we were going to miss the best of them by being away. In the evening we joined the choir at St Nicks for Friends Choral Evensong - the first Choral Evensong since the new organ was put in. This was followed by wine and canapes, and then Mike and I left before the AGM got going.
