Went to sleep with no-one around.. woke with fishermen all around the boat!, from the marina past us and around both corners.. I guess we moored right in the middle of the planned competition location! It’s time to move off, and should only be 5 hours today.. but, with locks (16 of them!) and moored boats slowing us down, that could easily become 7.. ( and it did! )
After pulling off, gently going past the fishermen, with some happy at the pace, some simply grumpy because of all the boats daring to move around in their “patch”.. but most were happy at a gentle pace!
Once clear of the fishing zone, we had Marsworth double locks to deal with, not a double lock as in a starcase, where one leads directly into the other, but a pair of locks with a small “pound” of water between them.. And as the water level was down a little, I simply drifted about in the pound waiting for the second lock to be ready for me to go into..
You see many pillboxes around canals, most have long since gone, but some do remain, this one still in the field covering the canal (a natural water barrier during the war incase of invasion), the church in the distance, and Dawson getting the lock ready with the usual collection of Gongoozlers watching on..
Past a very nice traditional cottage on the banks of the canal – they don’t build them this close any more!
Once through those, it’s onto Marsworth Junction. From there, a right turn to Aylesbury, or in our case, a left turn to continue down the Grand Union..
Just after the junction, the usual collection of temporary and residential boats around Tring Reservoir.
And the view back from the locks..
Were teaming up with another boat through these locks, they happened to be approaching one of the locks as we went in, so as there double locks, and two boats saves water, and also makes it easier, were going to go up through the whole flight together.
Eventually were all the way through the 7 locks, didn’t really get any photos, as I forgot to be honest! Once out the top lock, the other boat went on their way as its easier for them to go first, as I need to hang around to get the crew back onboard after closing the lock gates.
The Wendover arm is here, which we will do if were forced to turn around and come back if lock #71 is out for months..
And.. this one was here the last time we went down this canal 2 years ago.. with the same extremely well kept paintwork, and the same question on the stern ? ( With a roof that big though I would be tempted to have a lot of solar panels than that up there! – I must only assume they have a land-line (240v mains feed) with the mooring to not need any at all..) and I’m not sure how well another wide beam will fit through this gap either.. it looks like a bit of a squeeze to me!
Just past the corner and before the Grand Junction Arms.. a fuel boat! Pulled up next to them and asked if they were open and had any Diesel.. Sure, Oh – you have moved!
It turns out they went past us early this morning to get here so they can load a coal delivery tomorrow.. and on their way past, spotted the “Diesel Needed” sign I have been putting out for days.. and as they could not stop, called to their other boat which was a day behind to pull in and fuel us up! 🙂
But, as we moved, we can get the fuel now – not later, and they will call them back and state that were not there, and have been sorted. Whilst filling the tank, it seems that they have been reporting lock #71 to CRT for months now, and the lock gate, or the collar that holds the top of the gate to the lock wall was on its way out, so their statement of “unexpected structural failure” seems like it wasn’t that unexpected to me!
But anyway – we need to wait until Friday to know if they can bodge it or we cant get through at all and need to turn back.. but for now.. more tree dodging, both in the cut and above it..
With a few more interesting paint jobs on boats.
And.. yet more residential and temporary boats.. at this rate, having to slow down, it’s going to take a few extra hours to get to where we need to today..
And.. another lock down..
And, Dawson may take a while walking past these Donkeys.. 😉
And one more.. however, were a little delayed on this one, as the boat above the lock slipped one of the pins and came adrift, with most of the lock crew going back to re-secure it.
The day was going so well, on approach to the last set of locks, we lost a plant pot over the side when it got clipped by an overhanging tree 🙁 Saved the pot.. lost the plant!
And through the last lock for today..
And onto the mooring for a few days. There are no rings or armcoe here, so were going to have to pin out.. hopefully, the ground is not too loose, and they dont get pulled out by boats going past too fast! And just in case, the centre line is being pinned out also.. in case the bow or stern line does get pulled out, we wont drift too far before sorting it.
Were fairly close to the shops here, so post office, shops, take-away’s etc are all within a few minutes walk.
