Anything ahead???
It was a foggy start when I left my mooring at the Globe on
Tuesday for what I thought would be a short cruise into Leighton Buzzard to
find Karl and catch-up with things.
Leighton lock was the first stop after passing a couple of
very friendly fishermen who not only smiled and gave me the thumbs up but spoke
as well, they are not all bad ;-)
Two quick trips saw my provisions and wine stocks
replenished and coming back to the boat I found Juels Fuels moored behind me,
presumably stocking up as well.
I was on the lookout for N.B.
Lizzie Jane and Karl but passed through Leighton Buzzard without sight of him
so continued on to Grove lock (28), on walking up to the lock I espied Lizzie
moored just beyond and once in the lock as it was filling Karl came wandering
along the towpath, we had a quick chat as he was off to see someone in the
Marina by the lock and I discovered the reason Karl had not replied to my email
(inquiring his location) was down to him taking an unplanned trip into the cut,
on his bike, with his Mac laptop and other things, a few days earlier!
Fortunately he was ok but the Mac is no more!
I moored behind him and when he
returned we put the world to rights over a couple of glasses of vino.
Totals Tuesday : 2.5 miles : 2 locks
Mooring Tuesday:
Wednesday I lent Karl my bike in
the afternoon so that he could go into town for some bits; his bike is inside
his boat, hopefully drying out the electrics. In the evening we went over to
The Grove pub by the lock for a drink and care was taken crossing the lock on
the return to our boats after a couple of drinks : -)
I was going to move yesterday but
Karl came aboard for a coffee and it was very overcast, windy and not really
cruising weather (when you have no real reason to move) so I stayed again. I
walked into town in the afternoon to post a letter and generally lazed around.
Lazy some folk!
This morning saw me say cheerio
to Karl and cast off around 9:30 in much better conditions.
Approaching the first lock of the
day Church Lock (29) I was pleased to see a gate open ready for me.
I think a lazy wide beam owner
must have moved off ahead of me somewhere after that first lock because all the
remaining locks today had both tops gates wide open and the paddles left up.
What that meant for me following was that every lock was against me, I had to
walk to the far end of each lock close one gate and lower the paddle, walk back
all the way around the lock to close the other gate and lower the paddle before
I could begin emptying the lock to allow me to enter, it’s good practice to
close all gates and lower all paddles when exiting a lock unless signs direct
you to do otherwise but whoever he/she was just didn’t bother :-( hopefully Karma will repay them.
Leaving Slapton lock (30) I
stopped on the water point for a quick fill, having closed all the gates and
lowered all the paddles first!
I passed a holiday home site
offering a stay in Wigwams and saw these ‘cabins’, I don’t know if they are the
wigwams or an alternative, there were no wigwams visible!
The old lock keepers cottage at
Horton lock was looking well cared for, presumably a private home now.
After going through the next 5
locks with the extra gate work I was about to moor up before the swing bridge situated
before Cooks Wharf, I’d had enough for one day and the thought of an awkward
swing bridge did not enthuse me, but as I was slowing into position I noticed
the bridge beginning to open so I promptly moved off again and was lucky to
pass through without hindrance as a couple on a narrowboat opened it to pass
through and closed it after me, a fitting end to the day!
I moored in a rural spot away
from the wharf and all the other boats.
Current mooring:
Totals today: 5.5 miles : 8 locks
: 1 moveable bridge (assisted).
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