We were thinking of setting out north on the 28th of December after we had coffee with our friends Mike and Clare before they set off south again. They visited us, considering we couldn't leave Bella to visit them! But a dear Blue Haven neighbour telephoned and said that the basin was still far too frozen for us to moor. So we stayed put and did the washing up instead.
The 29th, the same neighbour called again and said that if we could make it through the canal, we could just make it into the marina. He had been ice breaking! Before we set out, we enjoyed watching the coal delivery - boat and butty (sort of a trailer) moored alongside the boats on the left. Then along came a traveller! Suddenly we were five abreast and all were squeezing in! Great fun.
