Fantastic sunrises and sunsets

Our last few days on the Ouse were marked by blazing sunrises and sunsets. This remarkable sunrise is over the fields looking towards the eastern fens...It's not what you normally expect to see at 6.00am.

A few minutes later, it got better...

And better...



Stunning, or what? But that's enough of the arty sunrises.

We, and lots of other people, had found mooring in Ely to be a challenge, but we did find a nice spot next to the Common Muckhill - yes that really is its name...I guess this goes back to an earlier use that this part of Ely was put to.

Our mooring had a nice view and was reasonably close to key facilities like the pub but,as the sign suggests, was a little close to a main railway bridge going over the Ouse. This busy main line had trains in both directions at all times of the day and night which proved to be a bit disturbing for Kay. I, on the other hand, am able to sleep through most things, even goods trains that rumble on for, what seems like hours. My usual medicine obviously helps...

On Saturday we spent a very pleasant few hours with our chums Mac, Tim and Indie picking them up from Lazy Otter and returning them there just as the daylight failed. A great day out for all of us and our first opportunity to use the navigation lights. I was pleased we hadn't left it any later because we could still just see our mooring in the dim light. It would have been much more difficult if we had been 30 minutes later.

A stunning sunset shot of the Ouse as we returned to Lazy Otter...

I'm taking daughter Jess back to Uni on Monday and, if everything pans out, I'll drive up to the Lincolnshire coast for a few days exploring the coast on foot and on 2 wheels.

Firm plans are in hand for a Skylark trip up to Bedford in September and tentative plans are being developed for a trip to Poland in November (by air - not narrowboat).  I have an unexplainable wish to pay my respects to the millions who died in Auschwitz. I know it will be a bit grim (to put it mildly) but this is something I have been considering for many years and now feels like the right time to do it.

BFN