Bartimaeus

In the hot summer days we try to keep the boat cool. Ventilation is good but then in the evening lights can attracts moths and crane flies. I have to eject these, and other beasties. Mostly he tries to minimise it by having blinds down and lights low. 

Some moths are active by day though and I was surprised and intrigued to see a white plume moth on the stern seats. It was in no hurry to leave.

The other white thing we were hoping to see, was the Ortomarine van. Shane checked the parking space but 4 cars had spread themselves over the 5 space area so that he had to park on the road. He had a long visit, working steadily, without a break. When eventually I went into town to fetch lunch from the bakery, I offered to get him something, but he said he had a packed lunch in the van. On my way I messaged that there was now space in the car park. I wondered if he'd move it nearer when he went for his sandwich, but it was still there on my return. I said if I  had had the keys I could have picked up his lunchbox. Rob said he should have given me the keys and I could have parked the van for him too. I didn't think I was insured and he said I was if over 35... Guilty as charged.

The moorings at Kinver are in the same area as a canoe hire company. They don't seem to have an official launch space, they just take their canoes to the side and put a launch mat down, wherever there is no-one moored. It is an entertainment to watch them go by. Sometimes I feel that their bare shoulders and lifejackets leave them exposed to sunburn and chafing or overheating as there is no shade and splashing could rinse off suncream and other times I think it must be nice and cool to be splashed. Some splash each other on purpose. One guy called to us, "it's only water!" From our chairs in the shade on the two path, I couldn't help but smile and give a warning that the canal was definitely not only water, but didn't list all the possible pollutants.

Also nearby the man building new steps in his garden was toiling away with his son, exposed in the heat of the day. From the colour of his torso, he is not averse to being in the sunshine. He cools down of an evening with a trip on his boat. His garden has nods to a hotter climate with its rainforest inhabitants.

Shane had a notion of making use of the changing temperatures. We did a cool cycle ride to Kidderminster where the uphill was done earlier in the morning and the return was level and past the ice cream shop to cool off. After the initial hill we were coming along the towpath in bright sunshine, but with a breeze.

Kidderminster was in bright sunshine. The town hall and inventor of the penny black (affordable postage) were looking bright too.

We met a couple on bikes. They stopped for a chat and to ask the best way across the road. They had just seen Shane manhandle the tandem over the footbridge at the lock. They were loving the cycling in warm weather and were fast realising it was getting rather too hot sitting still and chatting. They set off and thought they might see us again as they often cycled along the towpath.

As we cycled back I saw something in the water. It was a terrapin, gently treading water with it's striped head breaking the surface. We stopped and I went back but as I approached with my camera it dived down and swam away. We waited for it to re-emerge but couldn't see it. Shane saw bubbles breaking but when we got near we could see that was fish. The terrapin will enjoy the heat. I was disappointed to have just missed it. We discussed that this was a rare sighting as we had only seen two previously over the last 5 years, one in the Paddington Arm, outer London and the other on the Lancaster canal, many miles and a couple of years apart.

We pressed on to the cafe at Wolverley Lock. We had to dismount due to a tricky approach, curving under a newer bridge. I remembered noticing the old original steps to the lock that now took you nowhere with the road bridge built over them. It was cool under there. 

Shane wondered at the cafe about coffee or ice cream or even both. I had not fancied a hot drink at all, but was persuaded to up my scoops to two scoops, one of chocolate ice-cream and one of raspberry sorbet, After his double scoop, Shane didn't feel like coffee. 

We met the pigs and piglets again. The piglets looked bigger already and all the pigs has obviously found wallowing in mud was a cooling pastime in the heat. Their space is mainly in the shade.

Further along I called out "terrapin"again. This time it was basking on the far side and stayed still. We don't know how fast they swim but the chance of it getting through the intermediate locks made it a bit unlikely it was the same one.

I was excited to see the terrapin, but I still had a solar eclipse ahead of me. We sat in the shade as the time approached. I went off for a shower to cool down and Shane had a rare insect close encounter that he didn't mind. They do love the heat.

We got good early viewings. The eclipse glasses made it really clear to see the progression. There were interesting colours around the cloud that came over at the critical moment. It happened that way in Edinburgh too I discovered. No rain though. 

Obviously it was a disappointment to have the cloud then as there is unlikely to be another eclipse in our lifetimes. I am not sure Shane was that impressed with my quip this morning, as ducks came to the hatch, "oh look they are 'in eclipse' ducks"...too soon, perhaps.