Boating at last. We left Kegworth at the crack of 9am under cloudy skies, which told of rain to come. Locking down at Radcliffe, the wind seems always to be blowing hard here, doing its best to change your direction of travel, but a short burst of power had the bows heading in the intended direction. On past the moored boats at Redhill, one was sporting the name 'J S Barque', although I could not hear any music as we crept slowly onward. Through the flood lock and the wonderful small cabins on the right below the red cliffs. Each time we travel this way, some more of the old full of character sheds have been replaced by hi-tech buildings; if the occupants derive as much enjoyment from them as the other sheds, then who are we to moan.
Onward to the river Trent, the sailing club quiet, although a good steady breeze was blowing as we made the turn into Cranfleet cut. Through the lock and onto the Trent proper. The clouds had mainly gone and the sun shone brightly. We swept on, aided by the current and taking in the beautiful scenery,commenting on the large number of people walking on the riverbank paths, good to see them and of course waving to children in pushchairs. Through Beeston lock and on to Sainsburys moorings for essentials. Myra had been gone about 5 minutes when the skies darkened, I closed the cratch cover and the rear cover just in time. Heavy rain, hail and squally winds, really not nice. 5 minutes later, out came the sun. Maybe this is a good omen for this summer's boating! Very few boats on the move, one narrowboat and one small cruiser between Cranfleet and Beeston, four narrowboats on the way to Sainsburys and one on the Trent after Nottingham. Spent a few minutes chatting to the relief lockie at Holme lock, as a result, we decided not to moor above Holme lock, but to lock down and moor on the pontoon above Stoke lock. He gave us good advice as the pontoon mooring was much more rural. I did a bit more replacing fittings and re-wired the navigation light, tunnel light and horn. Only the radio aerial, television aerial to do now, then I can relax. Weather as stated, mainly good and fine, slightly chilly out of the sun.
