Tuesday 18th 6.40AM.......

 

 

Doing the sensible thing we stayed in bed another half hour supping tea and doing Wordle. Reluctantly, we thought we should stir ourselves and make some attempt of getting underway. This we did but breakfast still came first.

The forecast was for showers around midday so we hoped to have found Waka Huia by then. The problem with leaving between 7.30 and 8 am was that many other boaters are like minded all trying to beat the rush and get to the locks first. One boater, having spied my approach, tried to get away before me. They failed because I'm sorry to say I went faster than I should, not slowing until the last minute when I knew he couldn't have any excuse about not seeing me coming. That's not to say I was going ultra fast but when I reached him, maybe  I was doing a tad over the normal tickover speed? Anyway having gone past we left him in in our wake by cruising at our comfortable 3 to 3.5mph.

At the first lock of the day one boat had beaten me to it. A wait then before our turn and of course that other boat caught us up. Turned out this was an RAF owned boat which any member of the forces could use. A family was on board, two lads came up to help and what lovely polite boys they were too. I felt a tad guilty about thinking what I did earlier.

 From then on as the morning progressed, two more boats were seen ahead of us Thankfully at the first water point by Star Lock both pulled over for water. We crept past and claimed the lock.

At Newcastle Road Lock another wait and a confusion. A short lock landing, a boat already on it and exiting the lock were Kiwi friends of Marilyn (or not as she forcefully informed me afterwards, something to do with the way they they slagged  ex prime minister Jacinda Ardern and also both were anti vacc) and they headed for the remaining space on the landing. I hovered and waited fully expecting the waiting boat to enter. Ah, but this was also the facilities stop and he was doing the biz with cassettes. That Kiwi couple waved us past, all well and good but where to drop Ian off? Ladders are not something I'm happy for Ian to climb especially as at the moment he has two dodgy knees. On saying that, as I entered the open lock, Ian took a leap of faith and jumped a good 3 feet to land just before the lock approach wall. Bloody hell...if that doesn't make his knees worse nothing will!

 A notice had also been pinned to the bottom gate lock beam  

Rain had started, gently at first getting heavier as we exited the last lock of the day. It was a question now of finding the McDonald's, a phone call had mentioned a winding hole and we spied the pram top of Waka Huia just before it. In the rain Marilyn was again giving the towpath a trim in readiness for our arrival. She such a star, in fact if we had a garden I have her pulling weeds at every opportunity!

Lime Kiln Lock

Ian became the McDonald's Mechanic when the alternator belt was changed. He had noticed the old belt was very frayed and as they had a spare, stood to reason my (and Marilyn's now) man that can should do the job.

 

Dinner was a joint affair, a stir fry with millions of veg and noodles followed by that second cheese cake of mine. More games played, such fun, now if only I could start winning a few!

And seen on route

Mobile boat wash?

Loitering with intent.