Back to work now

Sunday 17^th September; Weedon to Braunston below lock 2

It was cloudy and grey when we got up, cloudy and grey as I went to buy a paper, and cloudy and grey for most of the morning.  This may be the last of the Nene Way signs we see – the Way runs all the way along the navigable river and must wind its way as close as it can to the river as it nears its source.  This was just below the aqueduct.

We set off before 9.30, hoping to at least complete Buckby locks today.  After the lovely sun of the last few days it felt very gloomy.  It was slow going at first, with many moored boats and others coming towards us.  This dodgy couple was lurking at one of the bridges, 21 I think.

As we got closer to the Buckby flight so the M1 got closer to the canal, and it was very noisy.  This handsome creature didn’t seem bothered by the noise, though it didn’t want to stay put on the cream paint so I could take a photo and soon tucked itself away under the handrail.

Shield bug

I don’t mind the occasional leaning tree, but I don’t recall noticing this one at this angle when we came the other way back in June.  I wonder if is slowly subsiding …

When will this lean past the point of no return?

As we neared the bottom lock there was clearly nobody waiting for a locking partner but there were two boats behind us, so we had a partner all the way and what’s more, there was plenty of crew on the second boat and one of them often caught us up – which was great, as my partner was recovering her strength after a serious illness and couldn’t always manage to close the heavy bottom gates.  But as Canal Boat Club members for over 20 years they knew their stuff and we were a very efficient pairing.

The sun even came out for a few moments as we worked our way up.  We were very fortunate in meeting boats coming down every lock except the last, so our workload was halved, and there were plenty of pub-goers at the top lock to help where needed.

Somewhere near the top – shame about the washing line!

We moored just past the junction bridge for a spot of lunch, waving to our partners as they went by on their way to Braunston.  I hope they found another partner for the locks.  We didn’t stop for long and were soon on our way to the tunnel.  We met three boats, and unfortunately the first had stopped, so its bow came out as we reached it, and although the second was moving - just - they didn't control it well and so they clobbered us too.  Both were ABC hire boats, both suitably apologetic and Dave was very diplomatic in advising them to keep moving in a tunnel and not to try and stop.  We decided to go down the locks and wouldn’t you know it, the rain started just as Bonjour came into the top one.  Wetter than the tunnel, but it wasn't a downpour, just a nuisance.  We were on our own, but met boats coming up the first four locks, so it was an easy descent.  As there was a space on the moorings near the Nelson we stopped there for the night, fearing that there might not be room for us in Braunston itself.  The forecast for tomorrow is not good so we were glad to get most of the locks out of the way, and were all tied up by 3.30.

11 locks, 8 miles