Wednesday 25th October 2006

Late start this morning, but it was still a little dark. Just nicely getting light by Stockers Lock, where there was a little queue. At Uxbridge we found ourselves behind a gravel barge, making a very slow run down the canal. To help him into the lock I drew a bottom paddle, and someone shouted from behind a hedge about wasting water. I reminded him it was fed from the river, and he still insisted. I looked to the barge driver who didn’t say anything until he was well into the lock, when he asked me to drop it before closing the gate as it “was nearly off its hinge”.

A slow run through to Cowley, where we had to wait for a gravel barge to come up as well as the one going down! The fleet waited below the lock, Ron jumped on to the Lily, and drove her hard and fast to Bulls Bridge, the rest following in convoy.

Drew on Clover, who joined us at Alvecote had to stop at Brauston as he had a meeting to go to on Monday, finally caught up with us after single handing the sickly bollinder all the way. Because it was a direct drive, Drew had to duck into the engine room to change the direction of the engine, but after disappearing he popped back out with a despondent groan and jumped off with a rope to strap Clover alongside Corona.

After waiting for everyone else to do their shop, we ran the short distance to the Jam Ole.

Videos
Tims Speach Part 1
Tims Speach Part 2
The Toast

Dad took a lift on Lily to Willowtree, while I had to manage on my own which is no problem, since I usually do this stretch on my own anyway!

Videos
Entering Willowtree - Nutfield turns
Entering Willowtree - Lily moors

After some drinking, and photos by the local paper, I took Shoestring back to her mooring, and we drove back for the evening meal. We did end up being priors on our own little table, but with Drew, the owner of the Lily, and some of the young lads from the other boats, we had a great time.