No let up in the wind but not so cold. The forecast does not suggest real improvement until at least the end of the week, so if we are to complete our plans we really need to get on, although the wind does make standing on the back less pleasant and working the locks more difficult as the boat blows all over the place. Other boaters thought we were mad when they saw us making preparations to leave. Maybe. First, however we needed to get off our mooring and turn into wind with very little room to manoeuvre. I had discussed this previously with Michael, our Cutweb friend, and the plan was to secure the centre rope onto a cleat on the next pontoon finger and then just ease the boat forward and let it turn mooring up across the ends of three. This worked perfectly and enabled the water hose to reach the front. The next challenge was to take the boat all the way round the moorings for a pumpout, not to difficult getting there but reversing out in the wind might be difficult. As it happened the pumpout hose was too short and it was necessary to turn the boat anyway. Eventually we left the marina and experienced far fewer problems than expected although frankly the gusting wind gave us windburn in the end and wasn't particularly comfortable. Strangely, all the first few locks had a top gate open whereas the instructions are for them to be left empty with the guillotine up. This saved us a lot of time.
Good moorings at Wellingborough and the nearby Tesco a boon.
Wellingborough moorings:Lots of neat grass for Alfie to crap on, large flour mills to the right.
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