Wish we had stayed in bed!

 Good God...What a morning!  Newbold tunnel, the one that had all those pretty lights years ago, (this link to Paul Balmer, Waterway Routes who has a great photo) well there must have been at least 5 boats coming through. Ian on the helm today and nosed gently in when suddenly the lead boat (another speed merchant) came tearing out and hit us so hard on the port side of the bow that sparks actually flew from the hull and the smell of metal friction lingered in the air. I happened to be in the well deck hanging the washing.  As is the norm with me I took a couple of photos before the incident mainly to show how many boats headlights could be seen. 

 

The lead boat that hit us. You can just make out the bow wave.

 Then to top it all the third boat in line had no headlight. Thinking he had forgotten to switch it on I mentioned it as he drew level and then what a shock.... the abuse aimed at me cannot be written down! Once he stopped swearing he shouted "You don't need a light"  "It's hardly a tunnel and beside I could see you perfectly well". "Of course you could" I shout back "That's because our headlight is on you idiot and it is called Newbold TUNNEL for a reason...it is NOT a bridge! I was shaking with anger at how I had been treated. After all was it wrong of me to point out that there was no headlight showing?

I couldn't even see a headlight on the front. That round object was a window.

A very poor photo but proof it is a tunnel

Only a short tunnel but thankful to be out!

 

Back at the stern Ian was equally angry as he had been told by that first boater that he should have hung back and waited until he was out. Ian gave him short thrift saying as it's a two-way tunnel he had every right to enter, and if he couldn't control his boat he should have slowed right down. 

That wasn't the last of it because approaching a bend and a bridge with lots of overhanging foliage to obscure the view, the bow of a boat suddenly appeared. It was a good job Ian was travelling slowly and as far over to the right as he could otherwise another collision would have occurred. Both boats went into reverse and that oncoming boat took evasive manoeuvrers missing us by inches! That poor lady was beside herself fully expecting the boats to make contact and as we passed each other said with some relief that she was glad she wasn't the one steering!

Crikey by now we had had enough! As soon as a decent mooring was found we stopped. Hate to think what else could have happened if we carried on, such was our today's luck! The first thing we did was asses the damage. All I can say is what a good job the cratch cover was raised otherwise we would be looking at having to replace it!

Right where the cratch cover would have overlapped.

And tonights mooring near to Old Oaks Wood.