After the exertions of yesterday, we decided a lazy Sunday in the sun seemed in order.

The unusually coloured boat behind us was called Rebellion  – we’d seen them moored up at Leicester; yesterday the chap had asked if we had a spare 25 amp fuse – his macerator loo had blown a fuse and he didn’t have a spare. They’re standard car-type blade fuses, not difficult to source from a garage or Halfords, but the chances of finding one late on a Saturday in rural Leicestershire were unlikely. Expressing surprise, as we have a similar loo (same make, description etc.) that has a 15 amp fuse he said his data sheet definitely said 25 amps. Anyway, we had offered him one of our spare 15 amp fuses to try… and this morning he knocked on the hatch clutching a fancy bottle of beer and said “so far so good”.

Given the impending canal closure, we were expecting some boats to head up from Leicester, and so it proved. After lunch we wandered down the towpath to Kilby Lock No 30 (the end/start of the impending stoppage, depending on your point of view).

First up was Green Matters plus a CaRT chap on foot. Green Matters was single-handing – always a challenge, particularly with broad locks – and had gone horribly aground in the by now infamously dodgy and insufficiently watered pound near lock 37. CaRT had come out to rescue him and run some water down, and one chap had stayed with him helping him all the way up to Kilby Bridge (and at the same time helping boats behind).

Next up were our new friends on Joss and  Corniche. Fortunately there was room for everyone to moor near the pub.

Carrying on our afternoon stroll back down the canal, it was clear (as it was elsewhere) that the Rose Hips had done extremely well this year, but the Sloes and Blackberries seemed to be significantly less prevalent than we remembered from this time last year. However, we came across several small trees/large shrubs that we didn’t recognise, with what appeared to be pink bell like flowers. Further on it became clear that that they were pink seed pods, enclosing bright orange seeds. On some of them, the leaves were starting to turn a lovely red colour too. Back at the boat, Dr. Google suggested they were probably European Spindle bushes. Even the chief garden visitor learns something every day.

We were rather taken by this pair: makes a change from Rosie & Jim.

Later, sitting on the wharf drinking Joss’s tea and coffee, the Green Matters chap appeared, all spruced up for dinner at the pub. However, his dis was well gruntled as he’d arranged to bring his boat down from Newark to Debdale Wharf Marina near Foxton – they offered a quick bottom blacking service – and he’d planned on taking it back the same way. The impending canal closure and required diversion had added another week or 10 days to this originally fairly quick exercise, and the aggro and costs of arranging care for his aging Mum, and kennelling for his dogs didn’t bear speaking about. Boating isn’t always relaxing!