Wendover Arm..... just a tad silted and what is this duck eating?

Managed to get TV last night by sticking the satellite dish on the front and then discovered not much worth watching! After Ian had spent the best part of an hour getting a signal he wasn't best pleased. Even more displeasing was the list we took on after a couple of boats had come up the locks and stopped. Meant the pound was now very low. Not wanting to sleep with the thought of rolling out of bed, we pushed FS out until she came upright, a good 5 ft away from the bank. At least we had no worries of being boarded! This morning the levels had recovered to some degree but it still too some effort to get FS moving.

Worse then this last night. The rope was slack this morning as levels recovered.

Think he's asking for his canoes to be damaged!

We had a plan today. Set off really early and do the Wendover Arm. Creeping past the boats so as not to wake the residents, the first lock was in our favour. Did this bode well, we asked ourselves. But no, some of the locks were to be left empty and so it wasn't long before we came to a full lock. No locking partner this time as most bods were still in bed so took a bit longer to come up. We spied Tentatrice and Cleddau but no sign of life even though we gave a toot. Was 8.30am and no doubt probably enjoying a lie in.

No sign of Jennie, Chris, Ken, sue or Monty. Poor dog must have been crossing his legs!

Then a boat pulls out in front of us on the summit pound. The stretch to the Wendover Arm is about 2.5 miles and we did tickover all the way. Not because the boat ahead was slow but because the pound was a good 6-8" down. If we had had our thinking caps on we may well have given the arm a miss but too late did we realised that, with the low water levels, just how shallow and silted this waterway had become. I got a bit concerned when we did a wiggly bit and I cut the corner a bit fine. Ended up at an angle but with the silt being that soft, the extra revs got ourselves out of trouble. Took nearly 50 minutes to get to the end, distance from Bulbourne Junction to terminus about 1.5 miles. Slightly less time on the way back but I reckon it's because we had already dug ourselves a channel!

Very impressive Heygates flour mill

The feeder in Nicholsons shows it to be a 60ft winding hole

Feeder on the left. No way would you want to try turning here.

New bridge built to replace the one taken down in 1973

Winding hole and terminus

Well we would have done if we had enough water.

And back at the junction

The turn to top lock on the Marsworth flight was interesting.

There are lovely 48hour moorings at the winding hole. Well maintained and a good depth of water. Being a newish section it was not silted up.....yet! We didn't stay, just winded and headed back. Not sure if we will do this waterway again. Dredging is desperately needed but I doubt if this is on any of C&RT's 'to do' lists.

So now what to do. We had planned on a night there and then to Marsworth tomorrow but with nowhere to moor at the lock we headed on down the flight. Met a lady boater who helped us and also gave us some advice. Having done the Wendover we wanted to do the Aylesbury. Many years ago we came down that arm before the new marina was built and fancied seeing what it was like. The lady's advice was not to bother.Three weeks ago she had gone down the first 3 locks without problem. After that the pounds were low and, not wanting to waste water, reversed back to the junction. Think we may phone C&RT on Monday to see how the land lies.



Got a mooring without trouble at the reservoir and with this being one of my favourite moorings on the GU will stay a day or two..

Now have you ever seen a duck eat a slug??? Neither had I until today.

On route today.

Damaged wing poor thing.

 

Pulled pins, tilted boat, cuprits found.

Just missed sharing a lock when a lone boater went past. Not quite ready to set off as aerial had to be taken down. We left it another 20 minutes before getting the lock ready. Up we goes, Ian gets back on board, we set off round the bend and there it was. Right across the canal. We had to assume the lone boater pulled it's pins as he sped past and this was confirmed when we caught him up at Bottom Side lock some 30 minutes later. He denied having seen a loose boat and I must say traveling with him to the water point below Rising Sun lock he certainly didn't cut the revs back when he passed the moored boats. Anyway I digress from the story.

Now, we could have squeezed past and left it for the next boater to sort out but that wouldn't have been sporty so, having got Ian off, he walked on to try and bring it's bow round. Only made things worse 'cause now it completely blocked the canal and wedged itself onto the far bank. Yours truly then did no more then bring FS to it's stern and gently push it back towards the towpath. Having done my good deed I tried to reverse. Tried, was the word, as I was stuck, good and proper like.  All I succeeded in doing was pivoting on whatever had me in it's grasp. Ian was still trying to secure that boat totally oblivious to my plight. Then, when he did become aware of my predicament, he tried shouting directions which I must say peed me off no end as I had already tried every which way I could. Pole came in handy at that point and high revs in reverse. With a loud gulp FS slid off whatever it was and I shot backwards but at least I was moving. Got back into the side to collect Ian although I was sorely tempted to leave him to walk!!!!

Then stopping for water before The Rising Sun lock two boats came past  First, a lovely speed just as it should be but the second! Well!!!! I feared for my plates! Having filled with water we happened to meet the pair at the lock, both waiting for a boat to exit. Ian walked toward the chap and polity told him that if he tried harder next time he might actually be able to break all our crockery! All he got was a stony stare, so my moment of naming and shaming has come. Meet the idiot on boat Jalizcazam

Maybe he was racing to the pub to get the free beer!

  We stopped just after the Port of Berkhampstead lock. Settled down to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Lovely spot that if it wasnt for the high speed trains! Every minute or so they thundered past, not even stopping at the station. It became unbearable and the thought of it througout the night???? So even though it was nearly 3pm we pulled pins, headed up the next three locks and stopped at the furthest point from the tracks. Still hear them but nowhere near as bad. Only trouble with this mooring......no TV!!!!!

This was a first for me. Seen basking in what little sun we had, a Terrapin.

On route,

Crab apples, a delicacy for the ducks.

We have a plague.

 At least 20+ 0r more. Even in the well deck another 8 have been evicted. Nests are everywhere and I can only surmise these creatures fall from the trees, especially Willows. What am I talking about?? Spiders! Big ones, small ones, fat ones, thin ones and found all in this last week. Every morning Ian gets the brunt of their webs. He's always first up, to make tea and toast for her ladyship (me) but if I do get up early (visiting the smallest room in the house) always mange to get underneath them. Something to be said for being virtually challenged! Checking in all the corners and window frames the tell-tale signs of fluffy small white spheres. Hundreds of spiderlings all ready to invade. So they were removed along with the spiders sitting on these cottonwool balls waiting for the young to hatch.

Boat rocked last night. Not through lock usage but because two boaters mounted FS's bow with rope in hand, bow hauling their boat towards the lock. They had hailed us first but before we could reply  one of them was on the front. Still in this sort of situation we didn't mind. Apparently their alternator had given up way back along the canal and home was within sitting distance so decided to 'walk it back'. Three more boats had to be negotiated and I hope the owners of those boats were understanding too.

18.30 and before the rain set in.

Today saw us on our way to Berkhampstead. Didn't quite get there as it was gone 10. 30am when we left and way past lunchtime by the time we stopped. We were following the railway and didn't really fancy a night with goods trains thundering past. We saw a decent spot away from the railway by lock 59 Winkwell flight and we felt 2.5 hours of travel and having to turn every one of the 5 locks was enough for one day.

Thought this a bit harsh at Winkwell boat marina. Don't think I would want those sort of restrictions

For once Ian didn't get his usual pleasure in stopping traffic. Felt quite let down as the feeling of power gives him a thrill (doesn't take much these days.)

So only thing of interest seen today was this large moth. It landed on the cabin side of the boat opposite.

Diesel boats and dinosaur's.

Much better day then yesterday and looking forward to relatively easy day. 9 locks to do and mostly spaced apart. On route we met diesel boat Hyperion and now with a butty found at Brinklow. It was in such a sorry state to be almost un-salvageable. It had been used in a previous existence as a horse drawn boat on the Great Western canal in the west country.  They did away with the wooden Cabin top replacing it with steel, renewed the gunnels and replaced the rotting planks on the bottom with elm.  Further research on their part revealed the butty was origonally built in 1930 as the butty to go with Hyperion. How bizarre is that? Quite amazing that after all these years the two are now finally together.

 Most of the locks had to be emptied but that gave Ian the opportunity to go foraging. Always on the look out for fallen branches he spied a lovely long branch in the hedge bottom. He just had to have it and would have got more except most were buried and unmovable. Also peering over the hedge, a dinosaur. Bet the kids on school holidays loved seeing that.

Sainsbury in Aspley was to be our first stop. It's just below lock 66, the Aspley flight, and on the offside. No moorings appeared to be available, nothing for it but go up the lock. But then I noticed an end bollard where we could at least get the stern on. Trouble was getting the bow tied. A blooming great branch also stuck out at just the wrong height so, although I took FS in stern first and pulled back as far as I could, the branch still scrapped along the hand rail. Ian shot up front and held it out of the way while I swung the front round and then he shot back again to grab the center rope to heave us in. Nothing to tie the front to other then that branch. Then I saw the sign. Now I know there are more pressing issues for C&RT other then clearing a 24 hour visitor mooring but surely Sainsburys could do more to help keep the area clear. Oh well, we have had to moor in worse places to go shopping. Thames Tesco mooring at Reading being one of them. 

 Shopping done we headed up the lock to look for a suitable place to stop. Nothing in between Aspley locks 66 and 65 but oodles of space above 65. Wondered why until we tried to get in. Very shallow at the edge and Ian had to walk along with the boat pole testing the depth. Eventually found a deep bit before bridge 152. Bit noisy but it will do for tonight.

And while waiting at the lock,

Heavy rain! Was this on this mornings forecast???? No it was not. Some sharp showers and sunny intervals for the Hemel Hempstead area. Well they got that wrong. In fact we just about made the bottom of Lady Capel's lock before it became beyond a joke.  Stopped just after the lock bollards and sat for nearly an hour before it eventually stopped.The tackle shop was still within walking distance from this spot so as soon as the weather improved I headed off.

Lady Capel's lock

The World of Water still sold bait, more expensive for 1/2 pint maggots then anywhere else. Nearly  £2.00 instead of the normal £1.40. Instead of continuing our journey to Aspley we stayed. After all 1.5 mile and 3 locks is more then enough for one day. Looking at Nicholsons the road and rail are never far away and this appeared to be the quietest place. Road noise was present but above the lock it was far worse.

Took myself off for a walk after lunch. Gone for over two hours and only walked about a mile. Kept stopping to take bug photos. I was lucky enough to meet a Muntjac head on but it turned tail and fled before the camera was raised to the eye.

Got back to discover Tentatrice had come past. Oh well I'm sure that another meeting will be on the cards as we head toward Milton Keynes.

So here are some of my bug photos. More on my wildlife blog.

Earwig

Hoverfly

Another very large hover fly. Resembles a hornet.

Coprinus atramentaris

Large white fungus seen in a field.