We have been taking it slow, real slow yesterday, in fact stopped with a steel ribbed tent wound around the prop. The spring steel slats and the rip stop nylon made a real tangle. I spent an hour with little success then called River Canal Rescue and he arrived within 15 minutes but left again in under 10 saying the boat would need to be slipped. He rang his supervisor and it was decided to get a second opinion next morning. Meanwhile I decided to give it another shot as slipping a 20 ton boat is not cheap and 3 hours later as the light was fading I had 90% cleared using a junior hacksaw and a box cutter. The remaining three turns of spring steel strap were around the prop shaft but loose so I couldn't get the hacksaw to bite into them. The access through the weed hatch is about 12 in x 8 inches and 12 inches deep to the prop. Only a double jointed orangutan could get both hands in there to work. This morning I attacked it again unsuccessfully and decided to clean the engine instead while waiting for the RCR to come with the right tool for the job, bolt cutters. It only took two snips to free the bundle and haul it to the towpath with the barge pole. We will have to carry the debris to the next disposal point.

Other than that and an encounter with a wayward hire boat that rammed us broadside on a turn, everything is great including the weather

Sparkling engine bay and motor

Camping tent anyone, guaranteed cyclone proof.