Boat after boat after boat is coming up the lock and heading for the ones that only opened at 10am.. This doesn’t bode well for a speedy trip through Marston Doles.. and the worries were founded when we got there.. 10th in a queue waiting to get up those two locks..
Were only just through the bridge and not even round the corner yet and queueing.. there is no bank to speak of to get off and hold the boat with the rope, so its trying to maintain position (without a bow thruster) whilst staying on the boat.. which was not easy, but certainly doable as there is no wind today (thankfully)
Closer.. but still not there yet.. 🙁
Behind us, there are yet more boats joining the queue, along with a very unhappy traditional narrowboat that just wont stay put, and those engines and gearboxes they have don’t like idling and going into and out of gear.. it’s a bit like trying to drive a traction engine in a modern day traffic jam.. there just not suited to it with lots of knobs and controls to keep adjusting and switching on and off again! Unlike mine that has a lever to do both, select the gear and then the amount if throttle.. nothing so easy there, a lever to select the gear, then a handle to spin to throttle up, and to spin back to throttle down again, plus.. the engines on those are so powerfull with large deep bladed props, tick over on that boat is more like 1,500 revs on mine! so by the time you get it in gear, you need to take it out again 😀
4 HOURS LATER! were through.. and the queue is still round the corner with all the boats that have joined in those 4 hours..
And it’s time to stop in Fenny Compton. We managed to find a gap close to the far residential spots, not too bad though, and close enough for a walk back to The Wharf Inn for dinner tonight.
Whilst finishing off a days work before dinner, several boats came and went, some tried to get into a space that was too small, some simply didn’t even try.. but generally, the cats don’t object to being here, there are a fair few passing by with the occasional oooo, ahhh or.. look.. cats on a boat! – shocker that 😀 Why is a cat on a boat (or ship) such an astonishing thing.. they have been aboard for many many years.. Blackie being the one I remember from HMS Prince of Wales..
The only thing with this place, no shops we can get to.. and the laundrette that used to be at The Wharf Inn is closed permanently now – which is a shame!