Old Hill Bridge to Otherton Marina

Last night we had a barbecue, well that had been the plan until a very huge rain storm came over, just as the coals were getting going too. So the sweet corn went under the grill and by the time it was starting to change colour the sky followed suit. With the rain passed we put the chairs on the towpath, finished off the sweetcorn on the barbecue and cooked everything else outside. Thank goodness as the grill doesn’t half kick out heat and the boat was already quite warm.

This morning we had several boats come past before we had pushed off. An Anderson Hire boat came by so we tagged along behind and waited for our turn to follow them up Tixall Lock. Boats were coming the other way perfectly timed to use the water we’d just filled the lock with. We last did this journey back in February this year with Mick single handing as I sat below watching Hitchcock films with my broken ankle snuggled up with Tilly. Today it was good to be watching from above again and chatting to people rather than a cat. Excuse me!!

The canal does a large arc around lots of bungalows and static caravans as it nears Stafford where we caught up with the hire boat who had kindly pulled in to let us pass. The weather swung from sun to drizzle and soon it was so drizzly that waterproofs were needed. As we cruised on we passed several boats on their way to Great Haywood, one said that they read our blog and that they were from Scarborough too! From the information Mick could give me and a bit of deduction I think it might have been NB Bessie Surtees. If so Hello! If not, then hello anyway.

As we approached Deptmore Lock we could see that there was a queue, not a big one, 3rd in line, but it still took us forty minutes to get to the head. With everyone helping, boats were going up the lock quite quickly, or so we thought. A chap from a boat in the ever growing queue behind came up to see if there was anything wrong with the lock, ‘No, just the number of people wanting to use it’ was the answer from a lady on the hire boat behind us. As we pulled away she was busy resetting the lock by herself, no one from the other six boats had come to help to speed things up.

Just after Shutt Hill Lock it started to rain properly and as we approached Park Gate Lock the heavens opened. Despite waterproofs we were drenched pretty quickly. A boat was helpfully tied up by it’s centre line and stern on the lock landing, it’s bow drifting out across the cut. When taxi’s pull up in our street in Scarborough blocking it, ‘Won’t be a minute mate!’ came to mind. The chap had popped to Midland Chandlers for a new hose amongst other things. When I eventually could get off Oleanna I squelched my way up to the lock, where a couple were bringing their boat in. They were pleased that their coats were proving to be waterproof, I was less pleased as by now my shoulders were really quite wet under my coat.

Other boats that had been ahead of us had pulled in avoiding the rain. It gradually eased and we very gradually dried out as the sun made another appearance.  Boats now were spaced out, so no queues at locks. NB Black Swan came past, another blog reader, Hello! At Penkridge we wanted to fill with water, but there was already a boat filling up so we carried on after disposing of rubbish.  At Filance Lock Mick remembered that there were no bollards to tie up to, most annoying when single handing, so I hopped off leaving Mick to hover. The boat from the water point soon arrived and the lady helped with the top gate. As we were pulling away it was obvious that another pair of legs were needed to close the gate behind us, so we backed up and I lent my legs, my it was a heavy beam.

The M6 rumbles away at the side of the canal between Penkridge and Gailey, originally we thought that we might try for Gailey for the night. But the sky was looking dark again and neither of us fancied getting a soaking again so we pulled up and let the second mate enjoy the rain instead.

7 locks, 9.59 miles, 2nd in line, 3rd in line, 7 behind, 1 damp morning, 1 crèche, 1 model railway, 1 lolly pop perfect garden, 3 lollipop stick locks, 2 blog readers, 1 torrential down pour, 2 legs covered in rain bounce back mud, 2 pairs sodden shorts, M6 in the background, 4 wet paws is great!

Taft Bridge to Old Hill Bridge 107, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal

A couple of boats came past before 7.30 this morning, the first nice and sedate, the second was obviously on a mission, it even stirred Mick from his sleep. Knowing that we would be joining a queue for Colwich Lock we didn’t rush to push off. Instead we decided that we should eat up some mushrooms, these were served with toast, turkey sausages and a poached egg, very nice it was too.

Boats kept coming past us, no-one stopping at Dexter though. It’s a couple of years since we stopped for diesel here and then there was a sign on it’s roof with the price. Today there was no sign, so either they don’t do diesel anymore, or they weren’t open today. So we pushed off and on arriving below the lock joined the queue. A cruiser was moored at the end of the lock landing so the queue had to work it’s way around it. Forth in line with more boats arriving. There was no queue above so once a Stone hire boat came down the lock was reset for each boat in turn.

This morning we had been passed by a rather elegant looking boat and here it was in the lock. It’s stern being so pointed and the deck boards having so much varnish, it reminded me of a Thames Launch. Later on in the day we passed it moored up. Lady Hatherton 1898 was built as an inspection launch for the owners of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. It was used by the company’s directors as a horse drawn boat until the 1930’s. Originally built from timber she has been almost rebuilt, her hull now made from steel as the wood was rotting. The interior has had a couple of modern modifications in recent times, but is predominantly still as it was originally. An interesting looking boat.

Following the Trent and Mersey up to Great Haywood we passed giant plants that made the cottages look Lilliputian. Then the familiar sight of Shugborough Hall came into view. We could have pulled up here, but the towpath is very busy and we had enjoyed mooring here a couple of years ago. So we joined the now reduced queue at Haywood Lock. A young chap was helping out with a windlass in hand. He chatted away and pull and pushed gates. A pile of possessions sat under the bridge below the lock, which I suspect is where he sleeps at the moment. He didn’t ask for anything, just helped and chatted with boats and gongoozlers.

We were now at the junction where back in February Alison and Laura from NB Large Marge had helped us move Lillian and their friends from NB Autumn Wine gave us a lift to Stafford Hospital when I’d broken my ankle. I stood at the bow to check for any on coming boats and Mick swung Oleanna round to the left and onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. Passing several boats moored in the shade of the trees we carried on hoping to find space at Tixall Wide for the rest of the day. But our luck wasn’t in.

At the far end there were a few boats that could have nudged up to make space for a couple more boats. We tried one gap, which we knew would be too short. If it had been us, we would most probably have already moved up, feeling that we were in the middle of a couple of spaces, this happens when boats move on from around you. But if we hadn’t got round to moving we would certainly have popped a head out to see if we could make more room when someone tried. Not one person showed their face, most avoided eye contact. After a couple of comments from Mick we decided to give up trying, admittedly neither of us had asked if they would be willing to move up.

Gradually we continued on towards the next lock. With no view as such there was plenty of space, but depth was an issue, but eventually we got in. Here there was a good wide towpath where we’d be able to sit out, but for some reason it was covered in pooh. I warned Mick as he stepped off, his usual reaction is  ‘So!’, but he looked around and quickly agreed that there was a lot! We tied up and had some lunch, having to listen to Tilly shouting and rattling the bolts on the back door! This always gets to them. Carefully we pushed back off and moved a short distance along where we could get into the side without fear of standing in something. The doors were opened and the rattling of the bolts stopped.

The port side windows are now wonderfully clean and I have had a major go at the limescale that was building up on the shower doors. White vinegar diluted with water sprayed on, then cleaned off with newspaper has done the trick. So they are shiny once again, well until the next shower!

2 locks, 4.41 miles, 2 cooked breakfasts, 0 diesel, 4th in line, 3rd in line, 1 helpful homeless chap, 1 left, 3 spaces at least if they just nudged up, 1 comment taken down on facebook! 1 bowl of soup, 60ft of shit, 1 cat gone for hours, 500ml diluted vinegar, 6 sheets newspaper, 119 year old boat, 1st test won, 0 tour tonight.

Shadehouse Lock to Taft Bridge

A lie in was deserved today, well not really a lie in but more a normal morning.

We’d originally thought it would be good to reach Great Haywood this evening, but with the cupboards looking a little bare we needed to go shopping. So we decided that we’d spend Sunday night at Tixal Wide instead.

Not far to our one and only lock of the day, Wood End Lock. The narrow bridges along this stretch are pretty and the one here does not disappoint with it’s curving wall sweeping down onto the towpath. Even though we’d only just passed a boat coming away from the lock, it was set against us and ready for a cruiser to come down. The chap talked his novice companion through what she needed to do and I assisted. Once the levels had equalised we pushed on the cranked lock beams. There is limited space before the bridge so they are bent giving a greater advantage to the pusher than short beans would, they are still a bit hard to push but that’s mostly because you feel like you are pushing in the wrong direction.

We pootled our way along towards Armitage. One garden has the best kept shed we’ve ever seen, last year we got a peek inside as we passed and it is as ordered as it’s watering can collection is outside. The cooling towers of Rugeley appeared in view, two red, the other two standard buff coloured. Cruising past the large factory we wondered what the noises were coming from deep inside. Could they be testing out their products just like Ikea do with chairs and drawers, repeating the same action time and time again? Past the factory is a large yard, on a previous journey the yard was filled with toilets, today the sign wasn’t quite so funny being surrounded by pallets.

Next came Armitage Tunnel. Originally cut through Kauper Sandstone it was opened out in the 1970’s having it’s roof removed.

However it still feels very much like a short tunnel as the A513 runs over the top keeping it dark. The cut is narrow here and it isn’t possible for two boats to pass, so I walked ahead with a walkie talkie. A lady was coming towards me obviously from a boat, she phoned them to tell them to continue through. Mick pulled Oleanna into the side and waited for them and a second boat to go through before he could pull out again.

A long line of boats greeted us at Rugeley, we found space to pull in had some lunch and then went to stock up the fridge and cupboards. Tesco let me down on a couple of things, so I crossed over the bridge to Morrisons. It’s the first time I’ve been in this store and most probably the last as they had even less choice. Luckily though the green grocer across the way had lemons and not in a big bag, I only wanted one not half a dozen!

Along the moorings here were most of the boats we’ve been seeing daily for the last week. It is getting so that I can’t remember who is from which boat. Most people were only stopping to stock up and soon moved off, as did we. We bounced across the River Trent aqueduct, something was under the water but never surfaced. The railway comes quite close for a while, but then drifts off near Taft Bridge where there was space for us along with another boat left. This was very soon filled up. Mick took a walk up to see if he could see what the price of diesel was at the boat moored by the bridge. It is normally one of the cheapest places to fill up, but there was no price visible. They only take cash and we hadn’t come prepared. Our tank is still over half full so we should last till we reach Wheaton Aston which will be even cheaper, it usually is.

A roast chicken is sitting in the oven with some little potatoes roasting in their skins, it may have been warm recently, but I’ve been missing a nice roast.

1 lock, 9.18 miles, 1 tunneless tunnel, 0 rhododendrons in bloom, 1 day we’ll time it right, 1 Inca, 4 watering cans, 0 toilets, 864327 poohs, 6535846 wees and counting, 8 boats merging into 1, 1 lemon, 1 chilli, 1 roast chicken, yumm!

Hopwas Wood to Shadehouse Lock, T&M

Our mooring last night was just at the start of a military firing range and early evening we could hear grown men shooting at each other. It didn’t continue for long, maybe they all got shoot! Tilly really didn’t want us to move off this morning and was quite surprised that we were both awake and dressed before she’d had chance to have a nap on my toes for the second morning in a row. They’re early starts do however seem to mean that I get to go out all afternoon though, so I’m quite happy to sacrifice my toe warming duties.

Pushing off at 7am again we hoped that we’d reach Fradley junction before the masses, so that we could turn onto the Trent and Mersey Canal and climb the top two locks of the flight without too much waiting. But progress to the junction was slow going. Passing moored boats before 8am we try to pass as slowly as we can, so as not to disturb anyone asleep. At Whittington the large poly tunnels on the off side have been dismantled, their frames lay in a pile and part of the field looked like it had recently been ploughed, wonder what will be growing there soon.

As we approached the junction we decided as it was 10am we’d stop for some breakfast and then fill with water. We picked up a space just before the water points and settled down to our cereal, knowing that any advantage of being up early had already drifted away. Once we were ready for water we joined the queue. One boat finished and pulled out, it’s space instantly being filled by a boat coming through the swing bridge ahead. This didn’t please the lady who was clinging onto her centre rope waiting patiently. But we chatted away the time until another boat moved off meaning we could both nudge up, we laid our hose out showing our intent to be next.

The taps in Fradley are slow, but the boat up ahead didn’t take long so we moved up and started to fill. With breakfast, waiting, water and bins done we’d been there nearly two and a half hours! So the locks were now busy. With another boat passing us the swing bridge was swung open and I went up to close it after we’d come through being the third boat. As each boat turned left another came up from the lock to the right, we’d be the forth in line.

The pound up to Middle Lock has a stretch of permanent moorings on it, which makes waiting for the lock tricksy as only one boat can tie up to wait. As I walked up to the lock I could see the two ladies from the boats ahead of us chatting, I’d expected to see one of them working the lock, but the boat that came from the right had insisted that she had opened the gates for her boat! Her brusque manor and rejection of any assistance had put a couple of noses out of joint. We stood and chatted, waited for the boat ahead to leave and close the gate before all three of us went up to reset the lock. With no-one coming down we worked our boats up in turn, helping the boat ahead and being helped by the one behind.

As the boat ahead of us left Shadehouse Lock I could see another approaching so I stood and waited awhile for them. I’m wanting to be able to cruise through the summer, so any water I can help save is worth a wait. Once we were up the lock we pulled into the moorings where there was plenty of space. Here there are trees on both sides of the cut offering us some shade. Tilly was straight out, avoiding the woofers from the next boat, I went straight into the field to find some friends.

The blue skies have been covered with clouds, which has brought the temperature down. This afternoon I have busied myself doing a bit of touching up to the paintwork on Oleanna. I was going to leave this until we’d done more narrow locks, but this morning Mick managed to put a big dink in the top of the hatch which went right down to the metal. So the blue paint came out and bits were touched in on the hatch and back doors. I then decided to touch up anything blue that has been scraped. So the rubbing strakes both at the bow and stern were rubbed back and touched in. On the day when we got stuck in a low pound on the Grand Union, Oleanna’s bow got caught under a ledge on a bridge hole as the water was rising. This could have ended quite badly, luckily she came free but the ledge left a couple of scrapes on the bow which also got touched in today.

Next job was to glue some felt onto the insides of our fender hooks. These fit very tightly onto our grab rail and I’ve noticed that they are starting to leave small marks on the cabin sides. So with some Uhu and some strips of felt I have covered the insides. They are a bit tighter, but at least the inside edge is now soft.

Mick has connected our router to run directly from the 12 volt supply, which means that it will now work when the inverter is off. Our phones have limited data allowance and latch onto the wifi from the router when it is on. Both of us last month ran out of our allowances as our phones were having to look after themselves first and last thing each day as we turn the inverter off over night. Hopefully this now won’t happen.

2 locks, 8.21 miles, 2 many moored boats, 3 crocodiles, 1 gnome hotel boat, 2.5 hours for breakfast and water, 1 queue jumper?! 4th in line, 5 minute wait for a boat,  14 fenders on 1 narrowboat, 1 shrew, 2 more friends, 4 trees, 2 woofers, 1 lovely catch up call, 2 J’s day, 5004 touched up, 0 blue paw prints, 4 fender hooks felted, 12volt router, 1 tired Tilly.

Springwoood Haven to Grendon Bridge 49

Before pushing off this morning there were a few chores to do.

Every three days we empty our yellow water tank, Mick unscrews the cap on the side of Oleanna, attaches a cap with a hose attachment, hose attached which then goes into a large black plastic tank that we can carry to an elsan for disposal. Once everything is set up I am given the okay and flick the switch inside to turn on the pump to empty the tank which is below our bathroom floor. Today though, shortly after I’d started the pump the noise changed for a second. What followed I could not see, but could imagine. The hose detached itself and a huge pumping plume of yellow water sored into the sky above Oleanna. Those whale gulpers sure can pump! I flicked the pump off as soon as  I could get to it, but the roof and cabin side were covered. Luckily Mick remained dry and an oncoming boat was far enough away to maybe not know what had happened.

Hose reattached the tank was emptied and then Mick washed Oleanna down with canal water. There was still quite an aroma. So as no-one was at the water point at Hartshill Wharf we decided to give the roof and cabin side a good wash down with fresh water using our blue brush. No way would we normally wash a boat on a water point, but today it was done as speedily as possible before we topped up the water tank. I suspect we’ll be being criticised on  Narrowboat Users Group for doing so as we were seen by several boats passing, no-one showed any sign of wanting water, if they had done we’d have moved on and winded to wash her down by hand.

All connections will be double checked in future to avoid a yellow fountain off the port side.

We moved on to find somewhere for lunch before the Atherstone flight. But as soon as we got anywhere near every space was taken. No choice but to start the locks and hope that there would be space five locks down. Except we had to wait, forth in the queue to go down and just as many coming up the flight, an efficient use of locks. The flight has a band of volunteer lockies, today there were four in radio contact with each other, so they can inform each other of boat movements and hold locks that are out of view from each other. We timed our descent with most of them stopping for lunch. But this didn’t matter that much as once down the first lock a boat was coming up in most of the next locks, so gates could be left and boats could just swap over. There were a couple of helpful souls on the flight who would open and close gates for us which made it all very easy.

Coming down the fifth lock we were closing the gates when we were shouted at that there was a boat coming out of the next lock, so we started to open them again. However the chap who had shouted was a local man who is autistic and comes to watch the boats, write their names down and has a great time, we’ve seen him before. He is harmless but you can’t take what he says as what is actually happening, he is too wound up with the excitement of it all, so we closed the gates again and found a space to stop for some lunch.

This however meant that when we pulled out again we were number three in the queue waiting to go down and ahead were a couple of single handers. With no-one coming up the lock had to be reset between each boat. In front of us was NB Ouse Dunnit, who we’d seen in Paddington basin a month ago. Despite living in York they moor on the Leeds Liverpool, we compared notes on various things in York and Scarborough as we waited for locks to fill and empty. After the first two locks boats were evenly spaced so you could help close up and have someone else arrive to help you close up. Towards the bottom of the flight there were boats coming up so we could swap chambers with them.

The sun had well and truly come out and the thought of stopping in full shade kept us going to finish the flight of eleven locks and push on a bit further to find a shaded mooring for the evening. Today we have managed to keep a day ahead of our plan, but instead of it taking us 3.5 hours it took around 6! The number of boats waiting at locks is slowing us down somewhat, and this is still two weeks before the season is at it’s busiest! Glad we’re not trying to do 7 hours cruising a day.

11 locks, 6.43 miles, 12 ft of wee, 2 scrubs, 4th in line, 11th boat down, 3rd in line, 30C, 6 single handing women! 2 in reality, 1 invisible boat coming, 2 hot for sun, 1 catch up tour, 1 shady mooring with trees!

As we were about to push off this morning NB Kallista, one of the Carefree Cruising boats, came past. The last time we followed this boat was near Napton Junction last May and the people on board made very slow progress in open countryside, was today going to be similar! Along the straight before Stretton Stop we could see that we were being followed, Kallista infront, then us, then another. Did this continue along the canal, just 150 ft between boats, a constant stream. The lady on Kallista hopped off to open the swing bridge. This is only a very small pedestrian swing bridge and has a narrow approach at both ends, no space for boats to pass and is only used by the boat yard to access their workshops. After they passed through it was swung closed again, a chap crossed over and then opened it back up for us, so all I had to do was hop off and swing it closed behind us.

Following Kallista was very slow, their tickover past moored boats has to be the slowest known on the waterways, no bad thing. Luckily once they had passed the moored boats the revs came back up and they motored along at a reasonable pace. A few more miles with a rain shower brought me inside where I found that Google was trying to protect us. In our spam folders were emails about our house from the letting agents. A quote for works and some photos of some damp patches that had appeared last week, when will this end! So when a space with mooring rings showed itself we stopped for some lunch and to digest the quote for digging up the kitchen floor!

A few more miles and the pylon forest announced our approach to Hawkesbury Junction where the Oxford meets the Coventry Canal with a stop lock, Sutton Lock. Not too many boats waiting and the water points before were free, so we pulled in to top up the tank and dispose of our rubbish. We were soon joined by NB Kallista who stopped to do the same. A conversation was soon struck up as our shareboat had been with the same company. We caught up on quite a bit of news and heard that the boats currently moored at Welton will be moving to the new marina we’d moored by the other night. So no more spying WD through the hedge as we head to Crick.

Once the water tank was full we each took our turn working through the stop lock, about a foot drop in level. Here the Greyhound pub did it’s best to call us in for a beer, but it was still too early to stop and if we could get a day ahead of ourselves that would be good. One thing that would have stopped us would have been a moored up Tench, Alarum Theatre are performing their show at the pub tomorrow and Thursday nights and it would have been very rude of us to pass them by without at least saying hello. However there was no sign, so Mick brought Oleanna round in one move, under the bridge and turning the 180 degrees onto the Coventry Canal with ease.
Of course once we were a mile or so further on who do we see! A narrowing with a boat coming through so we pulled over to the let them through only to see the distinct bow of Tench closely behind. We waved Heather through and just had time to say hello before the distance was too great to talk anymore. If only they’d arrived half an hour earlier, oh well. Another mile further and Kate came by on NB Morning Mist.

With the sloped sides of the Oxford Canal behind us the Coventry has numerous places to stop, most of the edge is Armco and having just been recently mown it looked possible to moor anywhere. But we decided to continue on and get through Nuneaton (Pooh Alley) today. All the mannequins had moved round and been recostumed at Charity Dock, well apart from The Stig. In amongst all the stuff there was actually a real human being! A first for us here and then at the corner there was actually a gap into the dry dock, admittedly only a small cruiser would be able to get through the gap, but it was still a gap.

Passing the entrance to the Ashby again. We still haven’t been up there, we’re always heading somewhere else and just don’t have time to make the most of it. Maybe next year.

Our destination for the day came into view opposite Springwood Haven Marina. Here there is a wide towpath and plenty of trees to make a perfect cat playground for the evening. Once moored up we got out the barbecue and sat out on our chairs to have food whilst Tilly came back and forth for hours. They don’t think I noticed the bunny friends, but I did! This evening I  heard that I hadn’t been quite the right person to design the panto, disappointed yes, but it does mean that my summer won’t be spent juggling boating with making models and visiting scenery workshops. However if anyone wants a model making, I’m your girl.

Welton Hythe to Rowdyke Bridge 82

After today I now fully understand why some people don’t move at weekends. Busy or what!

We pushed off a little after 10am and stopped just before Norton Junction at the water point to top up the tank. Most of the boats that had moored around us yesterday had already moved on, others came past as we filled with water. An Anglowelsh boat slowly pootled past with 9 people on board, they had been boat 9 in the queue yesterday at Watford and had spent the night at Crick before returning, they were only out for a weekend. Another boat came past and winded at the junction just as we were ready to pull out, so we waited, then pushed out and turned right towards Braunston.

There was a boat light very near the entrance to the tunnel, so Mick pulled Oleanna over and waited for them to pass before we entered, easier doing it here than inside.  It was obvious that there was another boat heading our way, but where would we pass them. Now knowing where the big kink in the tunnel is Mick slowed down hoping that they would pass it before we got there. But distances are very deceptive in tunnels, they didn’t seem to be getting any closer, we passed 100m, 200m, 300m and soon we’d be at the kink. Just after 400m there were the tell tale dints and scrapes on the tunnel walls where numerous boats have hit, we cruised past still with the boat ahead miles away. Eventually we passed him just past the halfway marker only to see another two boat lights in the distance ahead. Once they were passed we could see another boat ahead, going the same way as us, they must have been travelling very slowly.

By the time we reached the top of the locks we’d caught up with them, it was the hire boat with masses of crew. As I walked up to the lock I could see a boat coming out from the lock below and the hire boat were filling the lock! They really shouldn’t have done that, but the lady from the boat seemed okay about it, her husband on the boat however wasn’t! With so many people around a lock I get a bit nervous. No-one other than me checks that the helm is okay before starting to open the paddles, lots of chatting, is anyone keeping an eye on the bows going down making sure they don’t catch on the gates. I’m maybe a bit cautious, but still willing to have a chat whilst I keep an eye on the boats.

I headed down to the next lock to get it set whilst all the others finished above. We were following a single boat down and quite a few boats were also coming up, busy! There was no space to moor up after the pub above the last two locks, so I walked on ahead helping where I could, no-one had to do much! A couple of boats were heading up, once they passed us I could see Mick waving at me. He’d held back where two Black Prince boats were wanting to pull out, so he could jump into their mooring. Tied up we had some lunch before walking down to the chandlers. As locks were emptied and filled we bumped about so much, there was a constant stream of boats in both directions. One boat pulled up for lunch on the lock landing and was soon moved on by a lockie.

Last Sunday I’d rung Wharf House Chandlers to order some touch up paints for Oleanna. They order paints on a Monday so they should be in by Wednesday. However on Monday lunchtime they had left me a message that they had arrived, speedy or what! So whilst picking them up we decided to upgrade our anchor chain and rope in preparation for the Ribble Link. The rope we currently have is spliced together several times and the amount of chain we have isn’t really enough. So another length of chain and new rope purchased along with the paint our wallet was considerably lighter.

Time for the last two locks. So many boats heading down hill. Two went down and we agreed to join a share boat, only for another hire boat to appear from behind us. It was just easier to let them go ahead as Mick hadn’t pulled out yet. Three boats were waiting to go down the next lock, so no rush to go anywhere. There seemed to be no-one coming up, so we came down by ourselves to join the hire boat. The lockie helped on the off side, once the bottom gates were open he would walk round to give the canal a cursory look to see if anyone was coming up, he saw no-one. I however walked down through the bridge to see a couple of boats waiting, how long had they been there! Up they came.

Once down we managed to pass the hire boat. All the way to the marina was chock a block. We wanted to go further anyway. The toot of steam boat could be heard at every bridge ahead of us. By now it was too late to head to the butchers, so no bangers today!  We carried onto the North Oxford, having to slow right down to gently cruise past a boat on the water point and two hotel boats moored opposite. Just through London Bridge there was the burnt out shell of a Sea Otter. These boats are made from aluminium and the damage done to the shell was appalling, burnt down to the water line in parts.

Out in the countryside lines of moored boats slowed our progress. Between bridges 81 and 82 there is the entrance to a new marina. A small pond already had boats moored in it, but heading northwards a huge marina stretches out along the side of the hill. Numerous pontoons are being constructed and the depth of the marina water will be getting on for at least six foot, this section not in water yet. Where will all the water come from to fill it? From the canal obviously, but they must have to wait for the winter months to bring levels up. Today the canal was very busy, just what will it be like once this and other new marinas open up? We will certainly be avoiding the area in the summer months if we can. That’s a shame, there’s loads of friends here!

6 locks, 7.78 miles, 1 right, 1 tunnel passing 3, 2 mysterons, 1 straight on, 1 full water tank, 4 hours down the locks, 1 sunny day, 3 tins paint, 15m rope, 4m chain, 1 splice, 0 bangers, 1 huge marina, 0 water, 3 friends, 87 pounces.

Crick to Welton Hythe

A parcel we’d had sent c/o of Lizzie hadn’t arrived this morning, hopefully it will catch up with us as we couldn’t afford to wait till Tuesday (the marina office is closed Mondays). So once we’d got our Saturday Newspaper we were ready to push off and Lizzie was ready to hitch a ride. Mick slowed Oleanna right down as we passed NB Panda so that Lizzie could step aboard and off we set to Cracks Hill to wind and then return. The view of the hill is filled with fat green trees and the hill itself looks quite parched and brown after the long spell of dry weather.

Back past the marina and we got our last view of Lillian’s yellow, hopefully our paths will cross in the future. A boat had just pulled out from the ABNB pool on a demonstration, but the bridge hole was ours so they got a demonstration of how the boat reversed. In full tunnel mode we followed another boat through Crick tunnel, nothing coming towards us. Once through Lizzie was offered a turn at the helm, excluding the chaps at Finesse she is the third person to steer her. Oleanna behaved well and was complimented, Lizzie has been driving boats virtually all her life.

As we pulled up above the Watford flight it was obvious we would be joining a queue. There were four boats ahead of us and the first was just entering the top lock to go down. With plenty of hands at the ready I put the kettle on and we had a cuppa whilst we waited our turn. Another boat arrived behind us and the crew kept heading to the top lock to help boats go down. Our turn came and before Mick could give the okay a paddle was being wound up, another enthusiastic crew at Watford! The boat ahead of us was still going down in the first chamber of the staircase, so instead of being able to use the water from our lock to fill the next one it was going to waste. Once the lock had equalised we opened the gates and Mick was ushered out to have to wait in the short pound before the staircase.

One of the volunteer lockies helped me fill the top of the staircase and made a comment that the boat behind us hadn’t booked in with them and therefore shouldn’t be entering the top lock! There were boats waiting to come up and we should have been the last going down! He walked up to have a word, there would be no rushing us in the staircase.

Mick gave me the thumbs up once in the top chamber, but we still had to wait for the boat ahead  to clear the chamber below and close the gates, otherwise I’d have started to fill it again for them. Once down and starting to move into the second chamber the chap behind looked like he was about to wind the first red paddle up, so I shouted up to him to wait! Lizzie helped mostly with opening and closing gates and grimacing at the chap behind.

The lockies today were making use of the two pounds at the bottom of the flight to hold waiting boats in. The first pound had one boat in it, the second had two. At the bottom of the staircase someone had already reset the next lock for us and opened the gate. At the next and final lock there were so many windlasses, ours weren’t needed so we hopped back on board.

Exiting we could see that there was quite a queue waiting to go up, but as we progressed the line of boats just kept going and going! Twelve boats in all were waiting to go up and there were tales of canal rage! Each and every person we passed wanted us to say that we were the last coming down. I wonder how long the wait was.

As we progressed along the pound towards the junction we were being caught up. The wake from the boat behind breaking on the banks. Lizzie grimaced again! There was something around the prop and it was now past lunch time so we pulled in opposite Welton Hythe and let the boat behind pass, we won’t be seeing them again as they are heading to London. Once tied up we decided to stay put for the day. Pushing on further wouldn’t get us to the chandlers before they shut in Braunston anyway. So the doors were opened up and Tilly disappeared into the sideways trees without saying hello to Lizzie!

A green boat approached and as she got nearer it was obvious that it was NB Winding Down. The chap on the bow wasn’t familiar, neither really was the chap at the tiller, but we said hello. A lady popped out from below and said she wondered if they’d see us. Lindsey thank you for your email just now, as I thought it was you. Have a good time on the Nene, sadly you won’t see us on your way back as we are heading northwards. Glad that we got to see WD at last this year.

After lunch Lizzie jumped ship and walked up to the junction to get a lift back home. Tilly has spent the rest of the day terrorising the local wildlife and Mick has had a grade 2 haircut and is now enjoying the breeze whilst reading the Saturday paper sat out on the towpath. All calm now, just the masses to deal with again tomorrow in Braunston.

7 locks, 5.79 miles, 1 wind, 1 hitchhiker, 1 boat too hot on our tail, 5 going down, 12 waiting to come up, 1 bottle fizz on ice (thank you Lizzie), 1 WD, 5 hours of freedom, grade 3, 6.15 first boat down.