Pre Crick: Day 3

We slept well in spite of the motorway and the mainline, but we're up early and ready to go by about 7.30.  But once again the engine wouldn't start.  However, now we knew the cause, we could use the domestic batteries to get it going, so we set off up the locks at around 8.  Some of the locks leak empty while others fill up over night, so we could never predict how we'd find the next lock.  But we made good progress.

At the top lock, a couple of boats appeared to be approaching the lock as we were ready to leave.  And indeed one came onto the lock landing.  The other started reversing; we weren't at all sure what they were up to.  It turned out they'd missed the turning to the Leicester Line, and were going back.  We followed them round at the junction, and we're soon at Watford Locks.  I checked us in with the lock keeper.  There were already three boats on their way up, but nothing to come down, so we could start the locks straight away.

We completed the locks in an hour or so, and set off towards Crick.  As usual, the tunnel was very wet just at the northern end.  Then comes the moorings for the show; the temporary bridge over the canal is much more substantial this year.

After finding our mooring, and having lunch, we went over to the show site and I was able to get a preview of a few boats.  Then we went for tea and cake with Kath and Neil from Herbie, sitting in the warm sunshine overlooking the canal.  In the evening, we joined the rest of the Braidbar Boats group for a meal at The Moorings.

7 miles, 14 locks.  (27 miles, 21 locks)