Weed cutters and loppers, both in use today.

Ah...just read C&RT stoppage notices and not good news. Lock 71 gates are beyond repair (goodness knows what made it fail) and new gates have to be made. So this could mean our trip to the Thames is off, it all depends if a temporary repair can be made to one of the gates so narrowboats can still go through. Wide beams will have yet another long delay! You can view the notice here  So what to do? Decisions, decisions, do we wait and see if one gate can become functional or go back?

Anyway back to today. It was silly o'clock when we left like 6.30am silly. Knowing what we had to put up with yesterday the sooner we got started on the journey back the better.

Very pleasantly surprised as the issues of yesterday were not the same as today. How can that be seeing as progress was so dire yesterday? Well pounds filled a bit overnight, the reeds were met with enthusiasm as we powered our way through and a very nice man on the weed cutter was a welcome sight! But not all was plain sailing as you will see.

Met a CRT guy. Mentioned the reeds and his reply "We won't cut reeds now because of reed buntings and won't do it in Spring because its a waste of time because they only grow again". dah!

That issue with overhang veg became a real thorn in my side. It was a good job our Buckby cans were chained 'cos over the side they would have gone!

Going into lock 14 to descend was okay yesterday, I could skew around C&RT's workboats which, I might add, was left on the lock landing (shame on them) but today because not having a bendy boat, getting past was a tad more challenging.

And did I mention filled pounds? Well, the bit between lock 13 and 12 was the exception. Very noticeable was how low the water was and to do the quarter of a mile between locks took over 40 minutes. I tried tickover, putting on a bit of power and in the end, the only thing that worked was to take the revs up to 1500 rpm. I know I know, more power the deeper the stern digs but the mud was so soft this was the only way we could get through.

Nearly there.

 Meeting the nice man in the weed cutter below lock 11 certainly improved our journey back to the GU. Ian only had a few excursions to the weed hatch to clear the prop.  And best of all, with him having started from lock 8, all the bottom lock gates were left open. He did it to make life easier for him on his return. Bet he loved seeing us turn up! 

 Lock 7 had a particularly nasty bit of foliage sticking out at the lock approach, namely a blooming great briar! Nearly ripped my arm to shreds as I tried to stop the mugs from being grabbed and thrown off the sides yesterday! I was determined then to do something about it on the way back. So I sent Ian to do the deed with long-handled telescopic loppers! Well, I was trying to control FS and keep her in one place so obviously, Ian had to do it!

Much better Ian.

Nicely trimmed.

And why is there still so much water at the top end of the Aylesbury Arm? Where does it all go if not in the canal to top up the pounds in the middle and bottom?

Last two locks before joining the GU.

 Turned right towards Bullborne junction, ascended the first of the Marsworth broad locks and moored near to the reservoir. Probably stay tomorrow and then make the decision on what to do.

And today's wildlife

Another unwanted pet?

And definitely unwanted...I believe this was a rat.