The latest news.

Warning: There are no photos in this post because there's nothing worth photographing at the moment - it's far too dull, but please read on - especially the last bit.

I arrived at Lazy Otter at about midday on Sunday and found the temperature inside Skylark languishing at plus nine. This is not an exact science but I estimate there is a difference of about 5 degrees between the towns and fenland countryside and about the same between the inside and outside of the boat. This gives me a good rule of thumb to decide if I should pay a visit.

I have met a few people who don't fully winterise their boats but just open the taps and boost the batteries every month or so. They maintain their boats don't suffer from freezing pipes because all the vulnerable bits are below the waterline and the temperature there is a couple of degrees higher. I prefer to play safe (and enjoy being on the boat during the winter). So, take your choice!

Cruising into Ely, the weather was fine but there was still a very cold and brisk easterly wind. This meant there was not many other people about. As I arrived in Ely, a number of the white cruisers had already had enough and were leaving nice big gaps in the waterfront. Thanks guys.

After a peaceful night of deep slumber, I rose to a cold dull day - arhhhh! When is this weather going to improve? I left at midday and headed home.

NEWS FLASH.

 

As I packed my rucksack into the Landy, I noticed a man filming the back of the vehicles in the car park. I asked him what he was doing. He explained he was a tv cameraman and was filming the location of a story that was to be transmitted during the evening news. Apparently, after quite a few weeks of trying to find the owner of an abandoned van in the car park, a local man had taken it upon himself to have the van removed. When the van was opened, he found a body in the back.

The Police were called. It turns out he was only 42 years old and appeared to have died in the back of the van with no suspicion of foul play. Sounds a bit 'Jonathan Creek' to me but we'll see if anything further develops. Stay tuned.