Coventry Basin

As planned last night we ate at The Anchor and on the board it was pie night. Not real pies but a bowl of meat with a piece of puff pastry floating on top. That said my steak pie was packed with tender meat and it came with a good jug of gravy.

Outside it was bonfire Night and they had a big fire street food wagon and at 7-30 a half hour fireworks display. The place was heaving, queuing up the steers to the bar for drinks. There were people out on the street watching as well as on the bridge. The cars were parked down the road as far as you could see which caused problems with the HGV’s getting back to the yard.

This morning was another bright sunny start but again it didn’t last. Springwood Haven have all their boats in for the winter..

It wasn’t long before the showers started, I would put the brolly up and a few minutes later it would stop. Repeat until through Nuneaton, but no rainbow.
We only met a couple of boats and didn’t see one ahead until Charity Dock, we then did the trip to Hawkesbury at 2¾ MPH.
Boot Wharf have some interesting boats on the hard including this wide beam barge, that must be a lorry job.

I didn’t expect to see The Blues Brothers on the Coventry canal, I spotted them on our way up and luckily they were still sat outside their house today.

As we passed the new Rhenus Warehousing office block  we could see that already at least three of the large windows have failed.

When we got to Hawkesbury the boat ahead pulled in at the water point so we were able to slide passed. From Hawkesbury services to bridge 11 is a solid row of moored boats crossing both the two water points and the No Mooring signs opposite Exhall basin, very handy for boats going in or coming out.
Again CRT have designated a long stretch of towpath to winter moorings, probably room for 15 to 20 boats down to Longford Bridge, there is one boat there, the first I have seen on any winter moorings. Down at the basin we winded and slid in next to the swing bridge that never swings. (thank goodness). There were already 4 boats down here and we have been joined by another. Diana has bought the cakes from the Portuguese shop and tomorrow breakfast in Playwrights, they were broken into earlier this week. This evening there was a lovely sunset reflecting on the water but the photo just bleached out.

Today’s Journey .13¾ miles with no locks in 5 hours