Keeping Close

After last night's hail I found myself locked in this morning by a ridge of ice across the outward opening door. Fortunately, The Mate was up and able to let me out through his berth at the other end of the boat.

The most unusual thing happened today. We are used to seeing herons on the towpath ahead of us which fly off as we approach and land a few metres further away. Today we had one which kept flying to keep up with our boat as we travelled away from it. It would land level with the back of the boat each time.

We think the heron had learned to look for fish disturbed by the boat's passage. It jumped right into the canal and caught something.