Bridge holes

Calculate the overall distance you travelled (11.2 miles today). Now calculate how much of that was in bridge holes – 34 bridges x a guestimated average bridge hole width of 10 yards (to be generous, I think) = 340 yards. If my maths is correct, the bridge holes comprise 0.017248377 (340/1760/11.2) of the overall distance. In other words, we spent about 1.7% of today's cruising under bridges.

Now, how many boats did we encounter coming the other way? I confess I did not count them at the time, but I'm sure there weren't more than 20 (being generous again). But 3 of those were in difficult encounters at bridges. That's 15% !

You might argue that I haven't allowed for the length of the boats – making a notional, virtual bridge width considerably larger. But I counter than the three bridges were also on blind corners (any boater knows that it's always on a blind corner bridge that you encounter someone coming the other way). These two factors perhaps cancel out.

So – nominal chance of encountering a boat under these conditions – 1.7%. Today's actual experience of encountering such a boat – 15%. A small sample, I know, with little statistical validity – but why does it always happen this way!

Apart from that, we had a good run from Fradley to Fazeley. More of the sunshine and cloud recipe. When the sun was out the Coventry Canal was pretty,

graced with the occasional early 19th century cottages,

while the sky offered its own drama.

At Fazeley junction we turned right under the bridge (no incoming this time), and have moored up ready for the BCF weekend, behind Peter and Fran's NB Sonflower, and with David and Mary's NB Kew in the background.

Since I took that photo, others have also arrived. Promises to be a good weekend.