Crick Show: Day 3

With no particular reason to get up early, we got up late.  At about 10am, we set off north to turn the boat around at the Crack's Hill winding hole.  It's tickover all the way there because of the show mornings, and tickover all the way back again.  We tied back in our spot, just facing the other way, about forty minutes later.  Then we walked into Crick village to do a bit of shopping for the return journey.

We spent the next hour or so on the boat, doing some work.  At lunchtime we went over to the show site and had a Brie and bacon panini.  A little while later we met my relatives Catherine and Nigel, and their kids, Grace and Matthew.  Adrian and I somehow found ourselves of the dodgems with the kids, who then went on the big slide.

At 3pm, the winner of the favourite boat vote was announced. The winner was Boating Leisure Services at Heyford Fields, Braidbar were second, and Wharf House were third.

Shortly afterwards we set off.  Nigel drove to Watford Locks, while Catherine and the children came on the boat.  They particularly like tunnels; Grace was on the well deck, and Matthew came on the stern with me.  We passed one boat during our passage.

At the locks, two boats including Areandare were going down and there was no queue, so we could set off straight away.  This was in great contrast to last year when we were seventh in the queue.  Consequently we made rapid progress.  It was the same lock keeper as we had on the way up.

We boat arrived at the bottom lock, so we passed them in the first pound.

The family left to walk back to their car when we got to the bottom of the locks at about 5pm, and we set off to find a mooring.  Adrian started dinner by putting a chicken in the oven, and we stopped a little while later just through Bridge 3.

5 miles, 7 locks. (32 miles, 28 locks)