We woke up to the sound of showers on the boat, but by 9.15 it was bright sunshine, so we we set off to get through the 5 locks until we got to the summit of the Chilterns and then started down the other side. We set off to do the first lock. The pound (the water between two locks) that we were in had really filled up over night, but the pound we were about to get into was really low. It made very little sense, but we successfully got through to the second lock.
Unfortunately, just as we did so, Chris managed to get the rear rope caught in the propellor which cut it, so whilst we were in the second lock he had a look at the weed hatch. There was no rope to be found there, but a goodly amount of blue wire, old plastic bags and bits of stuff, which thankfully he removed. It's not a lovely job and I can't kneel to do it.....!
We successfully got up the next two locks and were just entering the final lock up when the rain started again. It was hard for a little while, but produced this wonderful rainbow - I wasn't the driver at this point! You can see the heavy spots landing on the canal.
We were now at the summit level which meant that we had 3 miles of flat water to go at, which was helpful! It's interesting that the top section of the canal is in a fairly significant cutting, so the original navvies must have had to cut the cutting as well as the canal. It's very leafy and green.
The three miles of flat water ends with a junction, the Wendover Arm, which is now limited to boats of less than 40 feet in length. It has been the subject of a 'dogged determination' project for a large number of people over the last 25 years! It's 11k long. The weather was lovely when we got to the junction! The bridge I am standing on to take the picture is over the link to the Wendover Arm.
The Marsworth flight of locks is the first flight we have come to in a while, and it's quite nice to de a sequence of locks like this. It makes a change doing down ones too! The rain was intermittent, and at first quite light, but by the last lock, it was a little heavier. The summit level is provided with water from this reservoir that the canal skirts around.
This was taken at lock 5 and the rain hadn't properly started yet, though it looked as though it might! We had decided that we would go to a nice pub in Marsworth that Matt knew which gave Chris an opportunity to get on a call at 3.15pm. So we completed the 7 locks and moored about half a mile further on, and agreed to meet at 5.30 to go to the pub. Having moored and made the tea, the heavens absolutely opened. It was incredibly heavy rain for about an hour, and we were definitely happy to be moored up!
As we walked to the pub, we passed this boat. It's amazing how some boat owners decorate their boats, and this one is certainly overboard (literally) with the flowers! When we came back from the pub at 10.00 tonight, all sorts of flashing LED lights adorned the front and back of the boat! Very pretty! It was raining too much to take another photo!
So today we have gone through 12 locks and 6 and a half miles, and tomorrow we hope to get through 11 locks and 8 miles. However this is complicated as Chris has lots of calls tomorrow and it's probably going to rain quite a lot.... We shall see!
So today we have gone through 12 locks and 6 and a half miles, and tomorrow we hope to get through 11 locks and 8 miles. However this is complicated as Chris has lots of calls tomorrow and it's probably going to rain quite a lot.... We shall see!
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