We’d set a date for our departure from Tingdene Hartford Marina of last month/mid-April ish (we arrived end of January the previous year) with the intention to cruise the Ouse at leisure to attend Crick’s annual Narrow Boat Festival at the end of May Bank Holiday weekend. Steve suggested we do a test cruise without shore power which was more than prudent as we found a problem with the engine. Me? I would have been gung ho and it would have been “Huston, we have a problem”. Luckily being a member of River Canal Rescue they were able to get us going to get back to the marina, diagnose the problem which was our engine’s diesel fuel pump, remove it from the engine, refurbish the part (saving us lots of £’s) and even deliver and refit it earlier than expected which was on Tuesday. 2nd May. It was Monday morning 10am the day before on the 1st when we got the news.
The Importance? Down the line was Wansford Bridge which was scheduled for a closure on Monday 15th for maintenance works which we were lead to believe could take up to two weeks. This put the pressure on as if we didn’t cross this obstacle by Sunday 14th we wouldn’t make Crick.
We were not expecting the refurbished pump for at least another week so we quickly threw ourselves into action to leave the Marina the following day. We’re good at team work. The short turnaround meant many chores for us both. Steve to tidy up the boat, especially the cabin top (roof) which was being used for storage. This was essential as there had been so much rain the rivers were high and we needed every centimetre to ensure getting under and through low bridges. Bear in mind Pegasus is 70ft long.
My chores were a dump run (to get rid of the glassware and can evidence of a year’s partying as evidenced by Angela), supplies collections, return to make lunch and then drive our Defender to Marlow (our new forever dream retirement bungalow) and swap it for our Ford C-Maxx. A quick turnaround to return to make dinner shared with our very good friend David Wickham, breath and fit in a mega week’s worth of supermarket shopping. Having stocked up the trolly with wine and beer, we also got some food to fill up the small remaining space, all transported from the boot of our car, down Pontoon D to Pegasus in our festival trolly. Barely sleeping for excitement, there wasn’t enough time for the many personal goodbyes, hugs and handshakes to all of our friends and neighbours on the Marina. Never mind last minute Amazon purchases! Trying to leave without a fuss (yes – us!) we had a send off with coloured flares courtesy of our friend David, lots of waiving from the pontoons and even the Tingdene staff lined up to wave us off.
Manoeuvring out like pros, Steve at the Tiller and me at the pointy end we returned waves, hooted our horn and off we departed for the next stage of our narrow boat adventure and indeed another of Blanche and Steve’s Big Adventures. We do nothing by halves.
We neatly negotiated our first lock with only 76 more to go before Crick. Spending our first night moored up at Earith we met my sister Nicole and her two daughters and son in laws at the Crystal Ship brewery tap room for a quiz night. Making a quiz team with our friends Dave and Carol Spaven from the marina, we asked ourselves does it get any betterer?? Yes, it does, we only came fifth!!