Day One: Ely does it...

Cambridge- Ely



17 miles, 2 Locks



Well, today is the first day of our summer cruise! As I write this, I'm in the library in Ely, having taken the Duck up here this morning.



It's part of the complicated plan to get as far as possible through the Fens before Amy's leave starts, and the itinery over the next few days is simple:



Today, Ely; Saturday, Dunver; Sunday, 8am tide then on to March; Peterborough by Tuesday, whilst Amy commutes by train; and from then onwards, up the Nene and onto the canals!



Amy did have to work today, so I singlehanded. Not too bad, I set up some speakers and my iPod for music after Bottisham lock, and the engine is running well after the oil and filter change, with SAE30 oil, not the too-thin 15w/40 that it had before. The oil pressure is now higher, and the engine happier, as because it never fully gets up to temperature the 15w/40 stayed thin.



Lyra decided to miaow her displeasure at the noise for a minute or two, then fall asleep on the swivel chair under the bed, only emerging in Ely.



The city is fairly full of boats, with many narrowboats and cruisers breasted up. There's two music festivals this weekend, hence the congestion. However, I managed to spot a 48-foot long gap under a willow tree, next to a very high quay, and nipped in.



Right, I must be off- got to pick up some bits and pieces before heading back into Cambridge by train for the last night of bumps tonight...