Last Voyage

Our Last Voyage On The Maggie Of Leigh

In September 2021 we made the very sad decision to put our narrowboat, “The Maggie of Leigh”, up for sale. The chosen broker, Whilton Marina was a good two days from our mooring at Fenny Marina by boat, but about 40 minutes by car. I was reminded of Turner’s painting, The Fighting Temeraire, although our voyage was eastwards not westwards, and so we didn’t have to cheat to get the sunset in the image. Also, hopefully, The Maggie will find a kind new owner and not be broken up like the Temeraire was.

Saturday 11th September.

Weather cloudy but dry. Arrived at Fenny after a slow drive from Essex, in a lot of traffic. (we had called at a fabric shop in Weedon en route to cheer up the Memsahib). I was pleased to find that the boat was dry inside, and internally did not seem to have suffered from the long absence since our last visit. Fitted new piano hinge to the bottom step below which windlasses etc. are stored. The sun came out in the late afternoon for our sundowners on the after deck. Had lasagne for supper, but I drank too much wine.

Sunday 12th September. Weather cloudy with sunny intervals. Felt slightly delicate first thing. It must have been overwork, not the wine. Clearing junk accumulated during our 22 years of ownership. Took 6 black sacks to the rubbish compound. Drove to the shop in Fenny Compton for extra supplies of wine. At 10.30 moved the ship to a berth close to the Wharf Inn, where we had booked a table for supper that evening. Walked back along the towpath and moved the car to the Wharf Inn car park. More sweeping and cleaning in the kitchen and forward cratch

Drove to Whilton to meet our fellow voyagers David and Stella with their black Labrador Lottie. Left our car there and climbed into David’s for the drive back to Fenny. David dropped us off at the Wharf and then parked the car at the marina. Very pleasant meal at the Wharf that evening. Monday 13th September. Weather cloudy with sunny intervals. Put to sea at 07.50 am and had am good run to Martens Doles, arriving at about 11:00. The Nation Lockswere fairly busy, mostly hire boats. The trees on the offside of the canal were teeming with berries, sloe, rose and hip, blackberry, tingle and crab apple.

Our Last Voyage On The Maggie Of Leigh (cont)

Talk about “Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness”, although we didn’t have mists until the drive back on the Wednesday morning. We passed lots of mallard and Canada geese, and the occasional moorhen, but no herons or kingfishers. David, a keen birdwatcher, also identified a green woodpecker and a buzzard.

On a humorous note, the name of a boat that we passed, “Fishy Mc Fish Face” tickled my fancy. I wonder if they had an on-line poll to find a name! We passed huge spoil heaps associated with HS2, but I was surprised that little seemed to have progressed, at least when viewing from the canal, since the last time we passed that way in May.

We filled the water tank at the bottom lock, and progressed for another mile or so, mooring up soon after 14.00. With David and Stella’s help, the cabin roof and rear deck were scrubbed and rinsed down and the taff rail oiled. Sundowners ashore and Stella cooked a delicious lamb stew. We were serenaded during the night by a tawny owl.

Tuesday 14th September. Rain practically all day, sometimes heavy. Left the berth at 07.40 and made good progress, the early hour and the weather keeping the number of moving boats down. Teamed up with another narrowboat for most of the Braunston Locks and had a clear run through the tunnel. It was the first time we had used the new LED tunnel light, and it made driving through the tunnel easy, but I fear it will tend to blind oncoming boats.

Our Last Voyage On The Maggie Of Leigh (cont)

After dropping down the locks above Whilton, which we found quite heavy going, we reached our allocated spot outside Whilton Marina at about 16.00. Further boat clearance and a trip to the Whilton’s rubbish compound, but we were all knackered and went to bed soon after 9pm. Wednesday 15th September. Better weather, with sunny intervals. Drove over to Fenny to collect David’s car. Took a further carload of junk to the rubbish compound. A very pleasant “Full English” at the Whilton Marina Café. Carried out a pump out and emptied the Elsan toilet. Signed the various papers relating to the sale of the boat, and finally hit the road at about 13.00. A smooth run home, arriving soon after 15.00.

FOOTNOTE: Within a few days we had an offer subject to survey, and after a little negotiating via Whilton, we accepted it. The survey took a week or so and it found several fairly minor faults, and we agreed to split the remedial costs with the new owner. The net proceeds of the sale were in our bank account within a few days, so we couldn’t fault the brokerage service provided by Whilton Marina. We are now somewhat richer but sadly entirely boatless. Hopefully will soon be buying a small sailing boat that we can keep nearer our home on the Thames Estuary.

Tony and Maggie Weber