The last leg home

 Thursday 22 October Solar Panels, mended locks and VHF

Yesterday was horribly wet, so Liana did not use our car to see a friend. Instead, I drove a hundred miles to the Grand Union Canal near Stockton, Warwickshire, to collect a solar panel system I had bought on eBay. 

Liveaboard David Tinker has upgraded on NB Tinker, and we are the beneficiary.We have everything installed by Onboard Solar five years ago, including all cables, supports and MPPT controller.

Today, now Misterton Top Lock has been repaired, we can return the ten miles to our home moorings at RWBC Clayworth.

John removed our old solar panels and fitted the three 100W panels from NB Tinker in their place, to see if there was an improvement: There was! In fact, we both liked them flat and side by side, as they take up less roof space and are less intrusive. We know tilting them is more efficient, but they should provide enough power flat. 

Thankfully, the day started off with sun and blue skies, so after thanking Bridget and Wilf for keeping an eye on Annie, we set off with Jan and Dave Warsop on NB Delhi. After a fortnight on the River Witham and Foss Dyke, they had arrived at West Stockwith yesterday.

  We passed through the two Misterton Locks in the sun, and enjoyed the weather as we journeyed the few miles to the last two locks at Gringley.

The wind was strengthening and cool, so we had to get coats out later. 

Liana has found out that my Cowling ancestors once owned two of the Walkeringham brickworks, where the chimney is and new marina will be.

Through the tunnel we turned past newly repaired banks homewards, reaching our moorings without incident. It’s fine to be back.

While home, John found he could get a ship’s radio license from Ofcom, so the radio now has a Call Sign and the radio code number to input. We are supposed to get an operator’s license to use it from RYA, who know how to charge, even though John was a Naval Officer as a young man, using VHF on warships.

I failed to do this a year or so ago, so maybe they have made it easier to do online. Try ofcom.org.uk