Fishing salute, marina entrance and meeting Adam again

 Oct 1st

Five locks more and the Stoke Bruerne flight would be behind us. No rush this morning although had we set off 5 minutes earlier, the first lock would still be with us. As it was the boat coming up the flight worked one lock ahead and both bottom gate paddles were up as we arrived.

 

The wind was a bit of a problem on the flight, blowing away from the nearside it did mean a bit of a fight trying to hold FS when waiting for several ascending boats. Rope wrapped around the bollards, fine, but I still then had to untie and rush to the stern to get on. No disasters (didn't fall in) headed toward the open nearside gate (offside was closed) unfortunately that wind had other ideas and the good intention of one gate entry went out of the window.  I had to signal to Ian to rush around and open the other gate pronto. Thankfully, he can be very quick when he wants to be!

 

This was where I had a bit of trouble with the wind.

There are three boats in this lock

One towing the cruiser

Eventually we descended the last lock, water stop and loo emptying before setting off towards Cosgrove.

As we pulled away so did another boat further along. Grandpa and grandma taking the grandchildren for a cruise. We caught up and realised just how slow they were going. They were enjoying the day and quite right too, we had to be patient and this boater did slow right down passing boats. Good on him, nice to see someone else knows what tickover is! 

 

We also had a fishing match to contend with. The first chap said 36 had entered, gosh that's quite a long length of fisherman to pass. Some pulled poles in, others gave the fisherman salute. Most spoke saying a cheery hello, the rest wouldn't even look at us even though we wished them a good morning. Too intent of pretending to do something to the hook! 

 More moored boats along this stretch than we have ever seen before. It was a surprise as in the past, and remember we travel this way a lot, very few are seen moored. At bridge 58 another boat was met. The boat in front had stopped, we reversed to allow him to reverse too, it looked very tight with those static boats by the towpath and the Willow branches on the offside..

 

As we approached Thrupp Marina they gave a signal, they were going in. He started the turn, looked to be lined up nicely but then he reversed. Was he actually winding? No he was trying to get lined up with the entrance.

What a pig of an entrance that was! Coming from Cosgrove direction it was an easy entry but from our direction of travel the boat had to go in at an angle. It took a while and the wind didn't help matters. He made it though, and it did make me think how Adam and Adrian fared every time they went back to base.

 Arriving at Cosgrove,  bridge 65 is a wonderful example of a sand and gravel monument with sandstone carvings.  These had weather erosion plus the birds peck at it to aid their digestion.  Looking on the web I found it was a Grade 11 listed structure and  is listed on the National Heritage list for England.

Moored on the visitor moorings after the bridge was Briar Rose! What??? We thought they would be back in the marina by now and already on their way home. 

 

Turns out Adrian was doing just that but Adam had a boat test to do in Chester and decided he may as well stay as the distance from Cosgrove to Chester would be half that as if he had gone home. For us, it was lovely to see him again because help was now at hand at Cosgrove lock. I deposited Ian onto the towpath and he and Adam walked on ahead.

The lock was already in use, a boat ascending and for once Ian let me down. Normally I get a hand gesture of either up, or down depending on what was happening at the lock. This time he failed and I struggled a bit to get onto the lock landing when the realisation hit!  If I had tried to stay out and hover,  the wind would have had me seriously questioning that decision!

It was now time to look for a mooring. Spaces to be had along the straight stretch up to the Iron Aqueduct but we had to be near Galleon Bridge. 

The river Great Ouse seen from the Iron Trunk aqueduct.

The perfect place for us to stop was nearly opposite the Galleon Inn. We had organised a hire car for tomorrow from Thrifty a short walk from there. I was slightly concerned when we arrived that it had a two day only on the post but on closer inspection that applied between April 1st and last day of September. So if we wanted too, we could now stay for at least two weeks!

And seen on route

Ice cream anyone?