Then came the locks

I spent most of Sunday fitting my new tunnel light, a simple enough job on the face of it, but in order to not have wires running on the surface it entailed dismantling and removing my wardrobe and the bow bulkhead paneling to gain access, so that took a while. I then traced the two cables, one feeding the horn and the other feeding the existing tunnel light to the point where they entered the bedroom and proceeded to cut through the wrong one despite having marked the correct one, a senior moment I believe they call that! anyway by 2pm the light was in and working and later that evening once it was dark I checked the alignment, as best I could, which should be pointing slightly right, to not dazzle oncoming boats and upwards to light up the tunnel roof, the first tunnel should indicate whether I have got it right.

Monday was a do nothing rest day, but yesterday I decided it was time for a change of scenery, casting off at 9:30 after the initial rain had relented and cruising through the still lock free country side in quite pleasant conditions.

The boat in the hole had not moved and as I passed by I realised it was probably the only moored boat that I don't have to slow down for as I pass.

Of course once again the rules of narrowboating dictate that if meeting a boat coming the other way it has to be at the sharpest bend with a bridge on it, and today I and another boat successfully complied with this rule, it meant we both ended up taking aboard some cuttings from the overhanging trees as we negotiated a passing maneuver barely making contact with each other :-)

So after 11 miles of lock free cruising I was ready for some light exercise, arriving at the first of the nine Napton locks at Marston Doles (16)

Lock 16

After passing through the next lock there is a short respite before arriving at the flight proper where  I passed some workers cutting back the foliage on the offside, it did need doing

The flight comprises 7 more locks (14-8), the locks are a pleasure, nice well maintained gear and pleasant surroundings.

View down to Napton-on-the-Hill from mid flight

Arriving at lock 11 I could see a boat ahead ready to leave lock 10, after descending my lock he still hadn't moved out of his and as I headed towards him I could see no-one around, the chap appeared as I was tying up on the lock landing and shouted an apology, he then headed out of the lock and realised he had left his 7 month old collie puppy stranded on the offside of the lock, he asked me to watch it for him until he was able to return, so I headed into the lock and then shepherded the puppy across my boat so that he could return to his owner, I then found the reason for the delay in him leaving the lock was that he was towing a butty and his other half was just pulling it out of lock 9 with the center line on her own but luckily at that moment a couple of volounteers arrived to assist her up the rest of the flight, it all made for an extra bit of interest.

Having finished the flight I moored on the water point and topped up, walking to the small shop by The Folly pub and bought some bread and milk and a bottle of gas while the tank filled, I then moved on to the 48 hour visitor moorings and decided to stay here until tomorrow.

Totals this post: 7 miles : 9 locks