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 :-)