Oops, I steal a lock

 Another good meal at the Wharf Inn last night, although I do wish that sticky treacle pudding hadn't been put in temptations way. I succumbed, I shouldn't have because I really felt quite full after the scampi and chips, but obviously my eyes were too big for my stomach!

It was chilly when we set off first thing, regretting going to Dire Straits to say goodbyes to Jenn and Jim in nothing but a thin jumper. On our way and I hadn't realised just how busy Fenny had got, even the other side of the bridge was wall-to-wall boats. It was still relatively early, too early I thought to expect to meet any boats. It's very difficult to get two boats past when moored boats are one side and overhanging vegetation on the offside. I was that dismayed then when we met, not just one Clifton cruiser hire boat, but two! Unfortunately, one of those moored boats got a rude awakening when the first hirer misjudged the width of his boat and scraped all along its side.

 How long have we been on the move since leaving Langley Mill? Nearly 6 weeks and I could count on both hands how many boats there have been on the move per day. Today was like the M1. Since passing those first two it's been a steady stream of oncoming boats, always being met either at a bridge ole or a bend! But one boater amazed me. Again on a hire boat, and it looked inevitable that we would be sideswiped as he appeared from nowhere, surly we couldn't miss seeing as the bow was heading straight for us. At the last minute the steerer whipped the tiller to the left, put on the power, the bow swung to the right and we missed by inches. A big thumbs up from us by his quick thinking and brilliant manoeuvre! 

And just some of the photos I took meeting other boats.

  The locks were busy, we had been told that queues had formed at the bottom of the Napton flight, as for us... of course they were all in our favour. Mind you, at the top of Marsden Dole, passing a line of moored boats, a Clifton hire boat was on the water point. I could see the hose out, but then with the utmost utgency it was suddenly disconnected, thrown onto the well deck and front rope taken off. By now I was almost level with that boat and his crew was seen walking toward the lock. Ah...maybe I should have waited but trouble with that was a boat had just come out of the lock and I was in the way!

Nothing for it but to sail into the empty lock and apologised. I said that, as he was still on the water point and hadn't moved to the landing, I thought he wasn't ready to go through. Anyway they were brilliant, said no problem, and proceeded to lift the paddles. Gosh, I was so glad that I had gone ahead because it was a good 30 minutes before he exited the bottom lock of the Napton flight. We know that because we were trying to fill the water tank. Another extremely slow tap to add to our lists. We gave up as a bad job, the water gauge had only moved up from quarter full to half in all that time!    

That's the hire boat crew on the lock gates.

One up at every lock

Apart from Napton bottom. That lockkeeper had been kept very busy for hours!

Lovely mooring on piling, just the right length for FS.

And seen on route

Clamping with outdoor bath!

  

European Bison? Water Buffalo and a thank you for the comment from Debby

Stampede!

And wildlife

Yellow Wagtail.

Yellow hammer