Strange Weather

I woke up at 7:30am and looked outside to access the weather, it was bright and sunny already so that was great, have some breakfast and get myself ready to move, so I put the kettle on and went to get freshened up and dressed after which I  looked out of the window again and it was dark and pouring with rain, never mind I thinks, I’ll move tomorrow, so I eat my breakfast (two weetabix with milk and honey, I know how to live) and the sun starts to shine through again, ok, so this time I get up and actually go outside, it looks lovely, so I sort myself out and around 10am pull the pins and into Stockers Lock (82).

I had decided to try a new technique and been worrying about it for days, only from an embarrassment point of view if it goes wrong, not actual fear, from what I can gather most of the locks on the Grand Union are double width and with steps either side of the entrance (this is when going up through the lock), along with ladders in the lock itself, I have progressed from my initial nervous start opening both gates to make sure I had loads of room to now only using one gate, much less walking and less work, but I have been watching other boaters (solo’s) and most do what I currently do, which is to climb up the Lock ladder once you are in the Lock, I find this a pain, often needing to walk along the roof, and it’s not always easy to get on the ladder  with Windlass  (lock turney key thing, ha ha, ) and centre line in hand, one slip and you are between boat and lock wall, so I read once about lining the boat up and stepping off the boat, nonchalantly, with centre line and windlass, as you reach the steps, leaving the boat to enter the lock on its own (slowly I hasten to add) and walking up the steps flicking the rope over the paddle gear and handrails etc, and bringing the boat to a slow graceful stop once it had cleared the gates, hmm... the theory is good, slow being the key.

 I did it, calm, cool, on the outside at least, no problem, the theory was good, may be tricky if you mistimed it, or the boat was still moving a bit fast, or you slip over on the steps, but hey, it was a good improvement, so that was the new technique sorted.

On towards Rickmansworth town, I had a brief snow shower, and as I stopped at the services just before Batchworth Lock (81) to empty the loo and fill the water tank it rained again, but just as I was finishing a boat came into the lock wanting to go down to where I was and use the services, so I helped them with the lock and once it was emptied to my level I went in beside them and then they came out to get on the service point, all seemed very efficient!

There are two Locks at Batchworth the main one (on the right) and another that goes to a very short stub of canal (Little Union Canal), there is a canal Centre there, along with a little cafe which was closed for winter.

Passed these two boats, both I think works in progress, the biggy looked great though, I don’t think the picture does it justice. 

Along the way a brief hailstone shower, but onwards to Lot Mead Lock (80) and used my new technique again, no problem, then as I approached Cassio Bridge Lock (79) another solo boater was just opening the gates and he waved me in so we shared the lock, that’s only the second shared lock since I began, the first was back on the River Wey before Christmas. He stopped at the water point and I went on just past bridge168 where I wanted to moor on the edge of Cassiobury Park, I will have a look around tomorrow, I think I am about a half hours walk from Watford Town Centre, just as I finished mooring up it rained again, I think changeable is the term!

Mooring picture from the side hatch.

Totals Today: 3.5 Miles : 5 Locks