After a night of heavy rain and noise from the neighbouring Huntingdon A604 by-pass, we set off in improving weather to the village of Houghton where we moored and enjoyed drinks and cakes at the little Millside Cottage guest house. Then cruising on via Hemingford to St Ives and a mooring at our favourite Waits Quay where we could rest and clean The Lady
A night of noise from nearby traffic on the A604 overpass, and from the nearby Huntingdon ring road. Also of torrential rain, which lasted all of the night. We slept in on a sombre morning, but at least the weather cleared up as we underwent our boating routine and had our breakfast. I decided that we would cruise on in the brightening weather, rather than hole up and walk to Huntingdon, and so we cast off and were soon enjoying some warm sunshine. We pulled in to Hartford Marina and took on water and I bought a new large ‘welcome’ mat and a new bailer for the dinghy. On again through Houghton Lock, after which we moored up and walked into the village. Supplies from the small supermarket and then we ate a lunch of sandwiches, drinks and cakes at the little ‘Millside Cottage’ guest house. £8.50 for 5 of us for lunch, which I rounded up to £10 for the good food and service which we enjoyed.
We avoided a shower in this way and then walked back to the boat and continued our cruise in sunshine. A nice journey passed the Hemingfords to Hemingford Lock. I tried to catch some small chub under the bridge as we emptied the lock but could only catch a small dace. On to St Ives, passed the River Authority weed cutting boat, that was making a right mess, and then to moor with ease at our favourite Waits Quay moorings. Time in the sunshine to play ball with the girls before the rains came again. I tried to do some fishing in the Waits, but it seems so shallow these days and full of the weed cuttings, that it bore no comparison with Godmanchester and Huntingdon. Di went across to do some laundry and I then got the throw-bucket and brush and scrubbed down the decks to get The Lady clean. I got quite wet myself in the process! Later, I walked round St Ives to post a letter for Diana and to use my ‘bleeper’ to check on my office telephone messages. Several people asking for help, but I cannot give it for two weeks. I turfed Daniel, with his friends Gary and Steve, out of a pub and sent them back to their boat – they are only 16! This evening, Di wrote up a number of post cards and me my journal. We tended Della quite a lot, who is suffering from a bad cough at the moment and settled her down in a better position after giving her some cough mixture.