Water water everywhere - except in my cooling tank

Since my last post I returned to work for a couple of days leaving Olivia in the Hartshill area, then, on my return, dodging the showers I made it down to Hawkesbury Junction and then on to Newbold. As I was mooring at Newbold I noticed the temperature gauge rising fast. I quickly switced off the engine and later on, when it had cooled down sufficiently, I looked in the header tank and found it wanting - there was no water in the tank. Friends, Phil and Jackie, were moored  a few hundred yards away and Phil popped over to have a look. We discovered a trail of rusty looking water coming from a little round culprit on the engine block. Oh yes, a core plug had "gone".

I needed to leave Olivia anyway as I was due a visit to see my grandaughter, now nine weeks old, so I decided the boat was moored in a reasonably safe place and I'd just abandon her. Anyway, last Tuesday I drove to Calcutt boats for the spare part and then picked up my good friend, Rick, who took less then fifteen minutes to clear out the remains of the old plug and fit the new one. I had to drive 100 miles but I still reckon the petrol costs would be cheaper than the cost of most engineers' time.

Yesterday I tested it all out on a one hour cruise and it all seems hunky dory. Now I'm ready for the next part of my cruise but, please, can I have some nice weather as I am totally fed up with the last few weeks' weather.