Mice - part 1

Had the opportunity for a couple of days on our boat just before the New Year.

We stopped at Fradley to water up before mooring back at our home moorings. As my wife lifted the hosepipe case, out jumped the first stowaway, who jumped straight into the cut, and then managed to find a hole in the wharf wall. On further inspection stowaway no2 was still holding firm in the hose case.........much banging of the hose case and prodding with a small stick eventually persuaded stowaway number two out who followed no1 into the cut - this time swiming away from the boat across the cut.

When he/she got to the other side the steep sides meant a holding position on the side of the canl was the best he/she could achieve. So I was dispatched with landing net over to the other sire of the cut to complete the rescue and introduce the 2nd stowaway to the Fradley nature reserve.On further inspection of the bow my stored groundbait and various plastic bags (for the chimney and for wood off cuts) had been eaten away. It appears mr and mrs mouse had set up home for the winter in my nice dry bow complete with cratch cover and food supply.

Groundbait is now stowed in the engine bay. (I hope the two stowaways got dried off before the night set in.....)

Never occured to me that the wildlife would join us on the boat.

Nev