Toffee, you are not helping matters!

 Oct 30th

Groan...wrong time to have a dog when the clocks go back and we could have had an extra lie in. Sunday morning and her body clock still said it was an hour later and no matter how hard we tried to ignore Toffee's tail banging on the radiator or for Ian, a cold nose against his arm, she refused to be ignored so up one of us got. Then today, because we had both got dressed at 6 am and a lot earlier than planned, we set off and started the cruise back to the junction. This time the weather was sunny and really quite warm so no dashing to get under cover from the rain today!

 

Getting back onto the GU from the junction had the same challenge as when I entered to go along the Wendover Arm yesterday. Ian was off doing the lock so had no one in front to let me know if anything was coming. I eased out but was worried about the breasted boats opposite, Still slow and gentle wins the day and with the wind for once helping, I got around to the lock with only the one reverse neccesary.  

The flight was trouble free today. For a start all the pounds were full and halfway down, CRT guy appeared helping a lone boater. He opened the gate for me sending Ian on ahead to set the next lock.

Shame she had to be secured. She couldn't be trusted, not with the amount of dogs about today.

Just liked this picture.

At Marsworth bottom lock one of those huge widebeams was seen. What was disconcerting was the water levels between the two locks were exceptionally low, by at least two foot I reckon. I started to exit the lock fully expecting that widebeam to do the same, but then the chap walked up to speak to Ian. It was suggested I keep to the middle while he went off to his right. I was a bit baffled but when he said his draft was only 2 ft and guessed quite correctly that we were much deeper, thought it would be beneficial if I didn't have to stray from the deep water. What a lovely chap and I thanked him profusely as we passed each other.

Nearly at the swing bridge to let Ian off, I suddenly caught a glimpse of this ginger/brown thing leaping off the boat. OMG it was Toffee and without permission either! She must have leapt a good 4 feet and how she made it to the bank I will never know because I was already steering FS away.  Anyway, she raced after Ian and got to him just as he started to open the bridge. Ian struggled again to close it and I don't think Toffee's added weight helped matters at all! 

Swing bridge looking through the railway bridge.

Think a caption is called for!

By 2 pm Ivinghoe locks were seen. By now I felt my knee had had enough and even though Ian had done most of the steering, I do like to stay and keep him company. So we stopped at the self same place as when we came through this way a few days ago, above Ivinghoe lock. 33

And wildlife,