A last look at Crick Marina
On Sunday before we left as we were filling up the water tank, emptying the toilet, checking gas and doing last minute jobs etc., I asked our next door neighbours if I could make use of Dave's workbench to saw a bit of pipe. Sue needed an extra towel rail in the bathroom. It turns out Dave's talented wife Ann is an expert 'Castles & Roses' painter. She had done their doors.
And these too!
The evening before we left the locals stoked up their stoves, as did we. It did get extremely cold that night.
Stoking Up.
So Tuesday morning came and we took advantage of the fantastic weather and decided to head towards Birmingham. After turning left out of the Marina we almost immediately entered Crick Tunnel. Quite cold and damp in comparison to the beautiful morning outside.
Crick Tunnel, for the final time.
About 40 minutes later we arrived at Watford Locks but due to the water shortage we had to wait until other boats had cleared, but we were first in the queue to descend.
Queueing at the first lock.
Waiting as the Juggernauts hurtle past on the M1 motorway above.
Once we started we got through Watford Flight reasonably quickly and soon found ourselves at Napton Junction. Here the Leicester Arm joins the main line of The Grand Union Canal and we turned sharp right. Living right on the junction in the old Toll House there are some ex-neighbours of ours who, like us, used to live in Willowtree Marina. We decided to drop in and see them. We had a good couple of hours catch-up sitting in their garden right on the edge of the junction. A very pleasant spot.
Soon the air began to turn cooler and as we had not really eaten since Sue cooked a major fry-up at breakfast time, we made our excuses and went back on board Tempranillo which was moored just round the corner. This was to be our mooring for the night.
Sunset at Napton Junction, Grand Union Canal.
This morning we awoke to a beautiful misty morning before setting off again.
Our next 'challenge' was to be Braunston Tunnel. Just over a mile long and again very cold. We have been here before and you can find lots more information if you follow this blog back a couple of months. The main feature of Braunston Tunnel is the kink in the middle where the two ends didn't quite meet, as they should when it was excavated back in 1796.
Then not far after this tunnel we entered the first of 19 locks that we passed through today. We arrived a Stockton Flight to find workmen blocking our passage! Nothing a good cup of tea wouldn't put right.
Waiting.....again!
Nearly and hour later they finished and we proceeded to enter the flight. There were no other boats to be seen and though we were supposed to wait 'a reasonable time' to see if other boats were able to share each lock with us to save water, we felt that nearly and hour was more than 'a reasonable time'. So off we went. This was a flight of 10 locks. That's 20 sets of gates to open and close and wind paddles up and down. Poor Sue was on her own. That is hard work...and it was like a summer's day. Really hot burny sunshine.
Fortunately we spotted another narrow boat, Ottawa that had accompanied us through the Braunston Locks earlier and they were a couple of locks behind us. So to save some water, well actually it was to help Sue manage all the gates and paddles, we waited for them to catch us up.
We are quite exhausted by now, as you might imagine and Sue is already tucked up in bed and fast asleep. I am about to join her to rebuild our strength before taking on more of the same tomorrow.
Good Night.
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