What a lovely day, I should be not moving taking advantage
of the sun to charge the battery’s but taken to its conclusion that would mean
cruising on dull or rainy days, nah not
doing that, I set off around 9:30 passed the Dunstable and district boat club’s
moorings and clubhouse
 |
| Dunstable and district moorings |
 |
| Through here is the swingbridge |
and on towards Grebe swingbridge, it looked a bit tricky
but as luck would have it a boater walking his dog waved me on and opened and
closed it for me, lovely man.
On towards lock 36 and there was someone in it,
for a moment it looked as though they had seen me but were ignoring me but then
the lady walked around and opened the other gate for me, leaving the lock I
said I would close the gates, they were fairly elderly and I thought it would
be nice as they had waited for me, when I approached the next lock they had
caught up with another boat and were sharing the lock with them, so my good
deed cost me dearly, still onwards and
it was glorious sunshine, through locks 34-32 and sight of the Whipsnade lion
carved into the hillside as an advert for the zoo which I think is now gone. At lock 31 another single hander was just coming into the lock so I told him to
stay aboard if he was happy and worked him through, my good deed this time was
repaid as a Pair arrived waiting to go up so they helped me and as I left I didn’t
have to close the gates, this was fortunate as it was a difficult landing with
the steps sideways so I would have needed to tie up and go back, something I
avoid where possible now, I have worked out that if allow my boat to exit the
lock very slowly and hop off as the stern passes the gates (walking along the
gunnel to exit the boat ) I can then close the gate and hop back on just as my
stern reaches the bottom of the steps, not one to try in windy conditions
possibly but it don’t half save a lot of walking and work.
Somewhere along the way I passed
this place advertising ‘Stay in a Wigwam’ it had two of these little buildings but no sign of any wigwams and no price, it looked quite nice though. 
Evidently
this section of the canal is known to ‘boatmen’ as The Fields and it was
obvious why, fields everywhere but there were some lovely views too.
As I approached Grove Lock (29)
I saw Carl (N.b. Lizzie Jane) moored and he was chatting to the mooring warden,
I intended to moor up just after the lock and shouted as much to him, but after
going through the lock there were no suitable moorings so I continued on and
have stopped opposite Waterside Park about a mile from Leighton Buzzard, it’s a
bit far to walk back to see Carl but he has an electric bike so he may pop
along this way.
Tomorrow I will walk into town and have a look around, I
need to arrange for a small parcel delivery as well as get some provisions .
Tonights Mooring
Todays Totals: 6 Miles : 9 Locks : 1 Swingbridge.
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