Bottoms to near to the top for our liking

Fancy us staying at last nights mooring knowing how shallow the canal was. We should have known better as this morning we were on the P. With an early bird boater coming past at silly o clock, (and not at tickover I might add) FS ended up toward the bank on the tilt. Not wanting any further boat traffic to make our plight worse, we hastily dressed and managed to pole ourselves off. So, because breakfast was delayed, we tried to stop once more a bit further along at what we thought looked a better prospect. Oh dear!!!! This time FS rode up what must have been a mud and gravel bank and no amount of forward or reverse would get us free. We tried pushing the bow out, then the stern but it was having none of it. So I resorted to hanging precariously over the water side rocking for all my worth, while Ian pushed and strained against the pole. After at least 5 minutes of struggle and with just about tickover in reverse, she finally came free. Breakfast was going to wait yet again! 

Heading towards the Soulbury three, a derelict and sunken cruiser. Looks to have been there some time so another of those 'will remove later' jobs that C&RT are supposed to do. It was at this very same bridge (109) that we rescued some lads on a Wyvern boat back in 2013. They too were stuck in the mud and had been all night!!! Have a look at my post if you fancy seeing what occurred.

Soulbury three bottom lock

We did stop for breakfast on the two day mooring and very nearly stayed but towpath was on the wrong side for Ian to do the gunwale and we knew that the towpath changed sides at bridge 106. Found a very quiet spot, very rural and almost ideal for Ian to get the paint out. I say almost because the low water levels made the bank that much higher. I reckon Ians back and knees are going to suffer big time by the time he's finished.

This is me creating a wash!!! The canal pounds are that low that even on tickover I'm in danger of eroding the bank. Can you imagine what the speed merchants do to it????

On route

Big Toadstools all over this field

Getting the first warmth of the sun before this kite took off

Early travel gets to see the rabbits.