Final Decision On Winter Moorings... Just in time!!

We had been chatting again at length regarding where to moor up for our first 'live-aboard' winter. As soon as I sat down with my pro's and con's list it was really a no-brainer for both of us. The obvious plusses of electricity and a laundry/shower block at Trinity marina in Hinckley just wasn't good enough to sway the argument.

When we started to plan our change of life all the canal press had wall to wall pictures of the big freeze of the winter of 2010/11. Beautiful snowy scenes of rows of crisp white-topped boats and boaters carrying supplies by sled. None of the pictures were of rows of boats 'sardined' together in a marina. The marina at Willington would be the only one I would consider from the many we have seen this year. It was one of the first we had seen and Deb and me both sat in our respective offices logging in to their web-cam all last winter, texting each other whenever a boat moved or potential buyers visited the boats for sale.

The other problem with Trinity this year is that the the canal between the bridges either side of the marina is closed for work during January and February so we wouldn't even manage a day away in the new year.

So, the final choice was a location (and just in time as the ice was nearly half inch thick in places today!) that we have been to a few times and just happens to have our favorite pub on the network (so far), adequate facilities, a great pub, small and large towns within five miles, lots of history, a pub, no neighbours within arms reach and, oh yes a really good pub on the doorstep. We are at Hawkesbury Junction for at least a couple of months - so if you're passing give us a knock, if we're not in we will be in... well you know where we will be ;)

Just after sunset

Moon over Pump house and ice

We are just under the bridge on the right

Sutton stop lock