Day 14 - Hatton to Leamington Spa

More rain - and the search began for a jemmy (googling for suppliers revealed only nefarious uses).  We'd planned on stopping in Warwick and taking the train to Stratford for the day, but the rain put us off.  Also, Jan had to go into one of the central Birmingham post offices to pick up a referendum ballot form sent via poste restante, our first time using this.  Otherwise, the main things on our minds were food, drink and keeping dry, so whatever sights Warwick and Leamington had to offer came poor second - or fourth.

Cruising past some quirkily decorated moored boats, we noticed one with an elaborate wrought iron 'SLOW' sign protruding from the boat. The owner, when asked for directions to tool shops, not only offered us his spare jemmy but wouldn't take anything for it until pressed, when he did accept two cans of Old Speckled Hen.  A real gent.

Essential kit

Armed with the jemmy and a pair of elbow length 'pond gloves' from Homebase (a fellow boater's tip), we tackled the weed hatch - the jemmy worked dramatically well and we're now fully acquainted with the layout of propellor and propellor shaft.  Turned out there was nothing wrapped around it this time, so the juddering must this time be due to shallow water in this stretch of canal.

Between bridges 45 and 46 in Leamington is a canalside Tesco Extra store with its own mooring bollards - delight!  Now all we need is a way of washing and drying clothes, a large quantity having accumulated.  We decided on an overnight stay at Calcutt marina, some ten miles ahead beyond more locks at Stockton, for a hook-up and we hoped, drying facilities.