Continuing South.....

...... and an unusual gongoozler.

With my engine charging situation remedied thanks to Ed Boden I set off on Thursday to continue coddiwompling south at around 9:15, it was a beautiful bright morning as I passed through Leighton lock (27) and made for the Tesco moorings at Leighton Buzzard.

Two trips to the store to stock up with groceries and a trip to the petrol station for some fuel for my generator and I was heading off again.

Just before Grove lock who should poke his head up from an engine hole but Ed Boden, small world, he walked back to his van while I was dealing with the lock and asked if all was well, that’s not bad PR ;-)

Off again passing Grove lock Marina

At Church lock it looked as if a boat was ‘loose’ just ahead but when I got there it wasn’t, just moored on a bend the other side of the lock.

It was a lovely day to be cruising on the canal although I seemed to be alone, I didn’t pass another boat on the move at all.

The Whipsnade lion (on zoom) looked as though he could do with some attention, a coat of white paint, I only just spotted him in the distance as it almost blended into the surrounding greenery.

I was tempted to moor up between Slapton and Ivinghoe Locks, there was plenty of nice room but a fair bit of it was in the shade so I decided to press on.

More beautiful views

and just before the first Seabrook lock I spotted this chap having a good old look at what I was up to from his raised vantage point!

I made the decision to stop where I was on the journey northwards, between lock 36 and the swing bridge but on arriving at the lock I could see the moorings ahead looked fairly busy so I backed up a bit and moored before the lock, a nice quiet spot with the sun on the solar panel and just me for company, lovely.

On Friday I emptied the wardrobe (again) and began priming the new wood and then undercoating all the inside which I think I will just paint in white gloss for brightness.

Today I was getting ready to move on and having a cuppa on the stern deck when a boat came through lock 36 ahead, they left a gate open for me assuming I was about to move off, so I thought I had better take advantage and set off, it was only 8:30 though!

So off through the ready lock and on to the swing bridge, I decided to try a new method as there were no pedestrians to open it for me, so I edged into the towpath just before the bridge and tied the bow on a longish length of rope to the bridge railings nearest the towpath, I then crossed the bridge and pushed it open which pulled my bow over and forward with it and enabled me to hop back on at the bow, walk along the gunnel and cruise though (having untied my rope first ! ), I then reversed back to the offside past the bridge and hopped off and closed it, job done, it worked quite well, the only issue was keeping the bow from striking the bridge as it moved forward and over but with this bridge it was quite simple to fend the boat off, I will see if it works as well on other bridges.

Job done and I'm happy.

Past Cooks Wharf I was now heading for the Marsworth locks (37-45), nine in all, and as I was in no rush I was enjoying the calm before reaching them.

My luck was in at the first one, a boat was about to come down but seeing me and with the lock in my favour the crew waved me in and told me to stay aboard while they locked me through, lovely.

At the next lock a Canal & River trust employee was adjusting water levels so he set the lock for me and helped me through that one, what a nice start to the flight!

Arriving at bridge 130 just before Marsworth junction, I met Jules Fuels coming the other way, they came through the bridge first and left me plenty of room to slide past before moving across to service a boat with fuel.

I was through the junction and starting up the flight proper and at lock 40 a boat was just leaving so I slowed down and waited when who should poke his head up out of the boat alongside, yes Ed Boden again, no getting away from him now!