Thursday 24 September 2015

One more lock to go

Despite a couple of spells of rain in the night my window fix wasn't properly tested. It needs a good heavy downpour to do that. I did run another line of Capt. Tolley's solution along the top of the window seal but it all stayed put, showing that there might not be a leak there. We'll see.

We passed three boats in Blisworth Tunnel; we were following a boat and one came in behind us so it was quite busy. At the Stoke Bruerne locks we had the assistance of two volunteer lockies; after the top lock we waited for the following boat to join us for the remaining locks. At the Long Pound I was surprised to see it completely devoid of moored boats; the first time that I can remember.

The female crew member of the boat we shared with (Allm....?) was a wrgie; she was telling me about some of the work camps she'd been on this year, including Cromford, Inglesham and Chesterfield. It sounds a lot of fun, but I'm not sure Jan would appreciate the often basic accommodation. They were stopping at The Navigation at Castlethorpe (by Thrupp Wharf Marina, to where we are returning for the winter) to celebrate a birthday. Since its rebuild it has, apparently, quickly gained a good reputation and is very popular. The only time they could get a table was 1700!

We stopped for lunch at the bottom of the locks; we stopped again to chat to Helen on Pipistrelle, whom we'd last seen on the Huddersfield Narrow.

Then we passed TWM and The Navigation.

That's a lot of glass! It did look good.

Now we're visiting Ally and Ben in Wolverton. Having come down Cosgrove Lock all we have to do is go up it again to return to Thrupp Wharf Marina and that will be the end of this year's marathon cruise. As I think I mentioned, I'll have to come up with some stats later.

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