Late Summer Days

The last days of summer are here, after having  the wettest drought on record?

The canals have been from drought conditions in the winter and spring with restrictions and closures to flood conditions just a few months later.

Those boats based on rivers have had a very difficult time with the sudden rise in water levels making the river un-navigable and then along came August and less rain and cruising now possible on all of the system again.

This is the time we are all thinking about those lovely autumn days to come and with the nights rapidly drawing in and shorter cruising times, the lighting of the stove and cosy nights aboard.
The autumn changes the scenery from the tired greens of the late summer months to the wonderful array of autumnal colours, the familiar stretches of canal suddenly look so different.

With the changes also come  leaves in the canal.
Now we need to use different strategies when cruising.
The engine revs increase the boat seems to slow down, diagnosis leaves around the propeller.
We soon learn to take the revs off put her in neutral and drift for a moment or two and this allows the leaves to sink to drift away from the propeller.

 This season is a wonderful time to cruise the canals, a quietness descends and the scenery is  beautiful you can feel the nature preparing for the winter to come.

Happy cruising.