Time for a catch up.

I’ve been a bit lax with the blog of late, partly due to a weakish internet signal and partly due to me just not sitting down to do it.

We left our mooring at the bottom of the three locks on Tuesday 21^st but the night before I looked out of my side hatch to see this.

I assumed someone was late taking down the Xmas lights but looking at it next day I think it was just for illuminating the stern of the residential moored boat, not a great pic but in reality it looked very nice.

We cruised through open countryside making our way towards Fenny Stratford with me leading the way.

Arriving at Stoke Hammond lock I was pleased to see a gate open and then realised it was being worked on by a couple of C&RT employees,  I held back a bit but they waved me in, Karl followed, there was a slight delay while they adjusted the collar on one gate to stop it wobbling around and once they had finished we went on out way.

Passing another life boat home.

And reaching the outskirts of Milton Keynes, you know you are getting close when the Poplar trees start to appear in long straight lines along the towpath.

Fenny Stratford lock (22) with its swing bridge across the centre and the Red Lion pub alongside heralded our arrival at our destination and there was a lovely 2 boat length of visitor mooring just beyond the lock.

We moored up, had coffee and another day was done.

Mooring:

I had intended to stay just until Thursday but storm Doris had other ideas and in the end I stayed until this morning, passing the time with a visit to the pub, and some work on the boat.

I walked to Travis Perkins and bought some timber and constructed a rack to go in the wardrobe for Sweaters, T shirts, socks and pants (that is man knickers not trousers to my American readers, I think), shoes below. I also moved the shower waste pump which was under the bed and was now exposed just outside the wardrobe, so with alterations done it is now inside the wardrobe and easily accessible, before I had to remove the mattress from the bed to get access to clean the filter, a regular maintenance item.

Karl needed to adjust his stern gland (it prevents water entering the bilge where the propeller shaft enters the boat) but on lifting his engine cover he found his bilge pump had ceased working, so a replacement was sourced and obtained and I helped him fit it, all is good now.

This morning I said Cheerio (for now) to Karl and headed off alone, I wanted to get rid of some more debris from the bedroom (old dismantled mattress etc.) fill with water and then wind (turn around) and I knew that the service point at Giffard Park was ideal for this.

You can tell where the pubs are, little clutches of boats always nearby.

C&RT had sent out about a dozen ‘tree down’ notices for the GU canal thanks to storm Doris and cleared and re-opened the canal before I left, but there was still evidence of the damage, debris in the water and a couple of trees still partially blocking the canal.

I don’t know if this boat was lucky to be missed or if he had moored up behind it after it fell.

It was very breezy still especially passing the Campbell and Willen Parks in Milton Keynes, although the children seemed to be enjoying the rides at Gullivers Land which is a small theme park for younger adventurers.

Arriving at the service point there was a boat in the middle of the two spaces but when I slowed and asked how long he would be he offered to pull back to allow me in, the water pressure is very slow so it was almost an 1½ hours later before I could head off and wind coming back to moor up in time to watch England play Italy in the 6 Nations Rugby, lovely jubley.

Tonights breezy mooring:

Totals this post: 11 miles: two locks: 1 moveable bridge

An even shorter run....

... but with some locks.

Karl was in need of water and wanted to move to the bottom of the 3 locks where the tap is situated.

Yesterday fitted in with my schedule of charging the batteries every alternate day incorporating this with a move when appropriate.

It was 11am before we were ready to set off on this epic voyage J

I went ahead and set the first lock and after both boats were in and the gates closed left Karl to deal with emptying the lock while I walked ahead to set the next one, the three locks here have no landing facility between them so you have to prepare the one ahead to allow you to leave one lock and enter the next without stopping in the pound between them.

With all the walking and lock work and chatting to gongoozlers I forgot to take any pictures.

Karl left the bottom lock first and moved onto the water point while I closed up and then moved ahead to find a mooring leaving the first mooring near the tap free for Karl to use when he had sorted his water needs.

After mooring I needed to run the engine for a couple more hours (the short hop wasn’t enough) to charge fully and later in the afternoon we strolled back up to the Three Locks Inn to quench our thirst after the exertions of the trip down.

Current Mooring:

That's Karl on the water point, left of picture.

Totals: ½ mile : 3 locks

This morning I decided to take a walk into Stoke Hammond for bread and milk and to stretch my legs, half a mile along the towpath then off down the country lane for a further half mile.

Not much traffic on my route to the village.

Stoke Hammond is a small thankful village.

The reason it is a thankful village

With a very unappealing looking pub, to me, (any pub displaying “Live Sport” is like displaying “Do Not Enter”)

But a very handy village shop.

I have a bit of time to kill before winding (turning around) and heading back again to where I moored over Christmas, more family events mean it looks as though the first half of 2017 is going to be spent travelling up and down this section of the Grand Union canal to enable easier travel back to Surrey, I can’t go by another route because winter stoppages ahead prevent it.

I have began stripping out the bedroom in preparation for the re-fit (as yet still undecided what it will be like), there’s lots of old MDF and timber to slowly dispose of and two halves of mattress which made up the bed, I disassembled one half (quite a chore) and disposed of that, but there’s no rush so at the moment it looks like a workshop, but I will get it done someday!

Now what to do this afternoon, oh yes, wash the floors....mmmm.....maybe.

A short run......

.....to meet up.

Yesterday I left my mooring around 9:30 and headed for the service point just before bridge 114 to empty the cassette and top up the water tank, I had already disposed of the household waste on foot as the bins were nearer my mooring, being separate from the actual service point.

Bricklayers watched with indifference while I did my chores

A fairly quick stop as the water tank was already fairly full before I set off again.

A long line of permit holder long term moorings to pass meant slow progress, the gap in the picture with the visible white bollards is the two hour shop stop outside Tesco.

At the end of the permit holders mooring is Wyvern Shipping’s site, chock a block with boats being prepared for the forthcoming season.

Not the place to meet a wide beam and luckily it was all clear.

Leighton lock (27) was next, 6’8” deep and a kindly old fella opened the gate for me as I approached.

It took a bit of effort on his part and I did actually tie up to assist him but he managed to shift it just as I reached him!

It was then just a steady cruise passing The Globe Inn pub, which like so many this time of year had room for plenty of boats, it’s a different story mid summer, this was where I took delivery of my new fridge previously.

A very pleasant little run, if a bit chilly, not another boat moving anywhere to be seen.

I was soon rounding a bend to spot N.b. Lizzie Jane and a convenient gap on the 2 day moorings between her and a wide beam, so I tucked myself in there. This time of year the mooring rules are relaxed and moorings all become 14 day unless specifically signed to say they are not i.e 2 Days All Year Round.

Lizzie Jane behind me

Totals : 4 miles : 1 Lock

After a chat and a coffee with Karl aboard Quinquireme we decided that we would stay put until Friday and later in the afternoon we took ourselves off to the Three Locks pub, just ahead, for a drink and a bite to eat while we caught up and pondered the state of everything for a few hours J

Today I busied myself with a few little chores and then relaxed the afternoon away while Karl made use of his bus pass with a trip back to Leighton Buzzard.

Stoppage cleared.....

..... and a move.

It snowed Friday, not heavily but not pleasant, it also snowed Saturday in the same fashion, the arranged meeting with Juels Fuel boat took place during the morning, not nice weather for them and the comment from Richard, Juels partner, was "not cruising weather, better to be in front of the stove with a glass of wine and a book", after taking 8 bags of smokeless, a bottle of gas and 40 ltrs of diesel I took his advice! I'm hoping that will be the last of the coal I need but who knows, last year I ran really low too early, I won't let that happen this year. Sunday was again sleety unpleasant weather but I managed a walk to the store for milk and bread.

Monday morning was windy, I had already decided to move on and my 14day stay was at an end so the decision was made, just as I was about to cast off I saw the swing bridge behind me opening, that's handy I thought, hoping it wasn't a wide beam boat, my luck was in though and it was a 'narrer'.
I held station and shouted could I share as they passed and they were happy for me to do that.

At the lock (36) wifey went to set it as it was against us while hubby held their boat on the landing, I hovered mid channel for a while, but it was very blustery and I let the wind blow the bow round 45 degrees to settle on the bank behind him, it was a bit of a struggle to hold position but once the lock was ready I reversed out and went into the lock, we recognised each other whilst chatting at the lock but couldn't think where we had met before, it later came back to me that we had just passed each other at a lock just a few weeks ago, we were going in opposite directions then.

Sharing locks is always a bit hit and miss, sometimes things click with both of you immediately and other times it takes a while to settle into a routine, at this first lock I think a bit of mis-communication meant it wasn't very efficient, at the second lock I opened up and hubby took control of the closing, with his wife steering, she left the lock first and I followed through the same gate, much better.

I tried to get a picture of the new gates but the sun was bright.

Nice cottage alongside the lock.

I passed by her while she waited for hubby to close up and board, and I went ahead and set the next lock, by this time I think they had reached agreement on the best method and hubby steered while wifey closed up, me going out first and setting the locks ahead, this was the best method and the one I would have suggested, but I tend to let the 'couples' decide rather than try to impose my views, so from then on it was smooth.

The weather was actually lovely if you ignored the wind and even that didn't cause too many problems.

While chatting I told them I was stopping at the water point at Slapton, just before lock 30 and they said they were mooring just before the water point so that worked out well.
We parted company and said our cheerio's as I left Horton lock (31)

I filled with water and continued on 'solo' through the next two locks and at Grove Lock (28) a couple of boaters were chatting by the bottom gates, as I dealt with the lock I also joined in the conversation  and when the lock was empty they told me they would close up for me, that was the main reason I joined in :-)

Leaving Grove lock, they are still chatting!

I continued into Leighton Buzzard and moored up before the service point between bridge 115 and 114.

Sun still bright

A beautiful day really

Totals: 6 miles : 9 locks

Today has been busy with 'things', a trip to the launderette, another Wilko, Waitrose, Aldi, and Tesco three times ( I did not want to carry heavy bags), so now all stocked up and ready for a move tomorrow weather permitting, I am meeting with Karl again who is not far ahead of me.

It took ages to open my Valentines cards and gifts, but not everything I say is true.

If you try to fail at something but succeed, have you really succeeded or failed?, oh dear I must get out more :-)

No boat movement.

On Sunday I went back to Surrey, my thanks once again to my sister and her partner who not only housed me but also collected me and returned me to the boat along with chauffeuring me to the funeral I was down South for, it wasn't a nice reason for the trip, but it was nice to catch up with some of the extended family whilst there.

Yesterday I walked along the towpath to see how the works to the lock closure were coming along, they seem to be on target for opening possibly tomorrow but definately Saturday, I asked one of the operatives and he confirmed that.

A few snaps of what it looks like at the moment, it's difficult to get too close, health and safety etc, but here's what I could see.

This is the temporary dam across the canal, I would like to see how they get that in place but no doubt it is easier than it might appear.

The closure was for lock gate replacements and brickwork repairs, the top gates have been replaced you can see that in this picture

And the old gates are loaded ready to be removed from site by workboat, just visible in this picture

The brickwork repairs are still ongoing on the left here behind the dam.

And this shows how they hold back the water while working on the lock, sometimes they would drain the pound between two locks, but in this particular situation there are quite a number of residential boats moored in that pound so I assume the dam was a better option.

It looks fairly Heath Robinson but is effective, heavy duty sheeting over a series of triangular metal frames, that can be raised or lowered up the supporting poles.

This morning the workboat with the old gates on board passed me by, so it may be open already but having been in contact with Jules Fuels I will be staying put until they arrive here on Saturday to take on coal gas and diesel, probably moving now Sunday or Monday.