Autumn cruise, ready to go after a mucky job.

It is not looking good for next weekend but perhaps the middle of next week? 

One complication is that the lock is again faulty so I can only get out during free flow, not a show stopper but potentially very inconvenient - on Tuesday the 2nd free flow is from 12:03 - 14:03, I can't get there by train in time to go out then and going out after mid night doesn't give time to sleep before leaving and single handed I need to be well rested before a long passage. So there will be a 1 - 2 days at anchor before I can start the cruise, if I am lucky and the forecast is correct and the weather is not dreadful I might be able to go down during bad weather and wait for the clearance at anchor but that could turn into a long wait. Hopefully they will get the lock fixed.

After a trip to the boat over the last couple of days it is now ready for the off, when the time comes I just need to load fresh food + valuables and I'll be off.

One disgusting job is out of the way - cleaning the bilge which was very overdue; and was last winter as well, but then my back problems meant it didn't get done. With the hot weather  the stink of bilge was not pleasant until the boat had a good airing. After bout 6 hours uncomfortable work it was done and now I just have to make the 5 mile trip go to the waste disposal centre to get rid of the cleaning materials and the oil, grease, etc. that came out.

All of the water & grease from the stern gland goes through the aft
section together with the odd bit of spilt oil or diesel but cleaning was
easy and it got a coat of paint to fill / cover up a few small cracks.

The main bilge was a different kettle of fish and needed a lot of
work helped by some automotive degreaser.

The paint on the lower keel bolts is in great shape, the ones above
the sump have a few places that will need touching up this winter
but they are not as bad as they look in the picture, most of the rust
coloured stains are just that but I'll treat them properly when the boat
is out of the water and completely dry - the aft one could easily get
 wet from stern gland drips that tend to pool then suddenly come
 forward as the boat moves.