North again: Day 1

Boats started going past early this morning, trying to beat the rush away from the Crick Show.  Some were very keen to get in the queue for Watford Locks!  And in fact quite a lot of boats had gone yesterday.  We started to extricate ourselves from our mooring at around 8.15; we had a boat breasted up on the outside of us, a pair in front and one behind, so we weren’t quite sure how we’d get out.  The guy in front was about though, and helped us.  We moved his boat and the one alongside forward into an empty gap, then I knocked on the roof of our neighbour and he came out to help, moving forward and in, so we could go out backwards.  It meant Adrian had to walk round to the water point, which was our first destination.  There we got the washing machine going and started to fill the tank, which we knew would take a while after several days at the show.  We were also waiting for a Tesco delivery, for which we’d used the address of the little marina alongside.  We chatted to various people during the hour or so we were there.  The Tesco delivery was a good 20 minutes late, which was annoying, and a boat was just arriving outside of us when it finally turned up.  All in all, it was about 10.30 when we could properly set off, and it had begun to rain.  The first stretch was slow, because we were passing the remaining boats who’d been visiting the show.

The next stretch was slow because we caught up with one of a pair of boats travelling together.  Even out of gear I seemed to be going faster than she was, and then at a bridge hole she stopped so she could lift a big tyre fender from one side of the boat.  Fortunately she then let us pass; the other boat also stopped a bit further ahead.

We passed the Tidys getting water at Yelvertoft, and then out the other side of the village the canal was blocked by a boat which had come free at the bow.  I pulled alongside another boat on the moorings so Adrian could get off and deal with it.

He had to unzip their pram cover in order to get to their centre line, then pull the boat in, and then get the bow line.  If the stern was anything to go by, they had just dropped pins behind the piling bar and expected them to stay there.  There was no longer a pin at the bow, so Adrian had to put the rope round the bar instead.

Before long we were on our way again, with the rain being persistent but not always that heavy.  We carried on to just after Bridge 27, where we have stopped before.  The first bit of piling was occupied so we’re on the second.  I was wet enough that I had to change a few layers of clothing.  It has rained on and off, but as the after has gone on, it’s been more dry than wet.

5 miles, 0 locks.