And Southward again.

While I was down at the end of the Wendover arm I took a walk across the fields and into Tring, it took about 30 minutes to get to the High street and when I arrived I realised I had left my camera on the boat, well that didn’t matter to me but it does make the blog a bit difficult.

So my thoughts -Tring is a nice town and quite worth the walk J

Yesterday my 48 hours was up and so around 10:15 I cast off, one boat had left on Thursday afternoon, my neighbour from behind me had left this morning around 8:30 and another boat that was moored by the basin had passed by around 9 so the end of the arm was now devoid of boats again.

It was pleasant enough weather although threatening rain showers as I cruised along at tickover speed.

You get a clearer idea of the scale of the Heygates flour mill as it looms out of the trees in the distance.

I eased out of the junction with the mainline very slowly turning right to head back to Cowroast, there was a boat in the lock on the mainline just before the junction and a day boat approaching me through the narrows formed by moored boats, a wide beam moored up opposite other boats meant there wasn’t room for us to pass so I held station for the day boat to clear that but as they got closer they told me another day boat was following behind, indeed he had just appeared in my view, so I held for him as well, it was getting a bit congested but we all got clear of each other eventually and I carried on with the boat who had now left the lock following behind me.

Immediately after the next bridge (133) is a water point so I stopped there to top up the tank.

It was then back into the Tring cutting retracing my steps to Cowroast. I met a couple of boats going the other way but neither presented any problems as it is fairly straight and wide.

This bridge gives some idea of how deep the cutting is.

There were a couple of heavy rain showers but I had my brolly to hand so that was ok too. 

Approaching Cowroast marina I could smell diesel, of course the first thing you do is look around the stern to see if it’s coming from you, but it wasn’t, the smell got worse and I could see it in the water but then I saw the reason, a moored boat looked as though it was having its fuel tank pumped out, probably got the dreaded diesel bug, and they had spilt some in the process, a little goes a long way when floating on the water.

It was then through Cowroast lock, another one that had to be left empty, so I had to fill it first before entering as I am now descending again, leaving the lock empty is now no problem though.

The mooring I had left before my little jaunt along the Wendover arm was still vacant so I scooted back in and will stay here to watch the Spanish F1 before heading back to Berkhamstead probably Monday.

I am getting to know this canal now and am keen to depart to fresh waters, but there are reasons for my to’ing and fro’ing that will become clear later.

Totals: 4½ miles: 1 lock