Zeus do your worst

 I do love a thunderstorm so why have they all missed us?  Rain a plenty, yes but bolts of lightening...no! The heat has been unbearable especially at night. Last night was the first time we left the side hatch open as it is now water side instead of towpath and finally a better night sleep, we even threw a thin sheet over us during the night. So we need a thunderstorm to clear the air...are you listening Zeus! Throw that bolt in our direction for a change!

 

It was a tad before 8 am when we pushed across to use the facilities. Quick wash of the cabin top and sides whilst filling with water (took the opportunity when I could 'cos no idea when we would present the starboard to towpath side again) and by 8.40am we were on the move and hoping to catch Dire Straits. A good 30 minutes ahead we felt we had no chance but a mile from our planned stop at the top of Hillmorton locks, and we spied them in the distance. 

A message had been sent to Jen by friends already at Hillmorton warning of full moorings. In light of that we stopped before bridge 72 and just in time too. No sooner had the pins been hammered in and FS secured when the heavens opened. Then not 10 minutes later and Zeus granted my wish. A thunderstorm at last! Rumbled around us for quite a while but the lightening flashes were pretty poor considering what we have seen on the news. Still, beggars shouldn't be choosers and I should be grateful for what we had!

Once the rain stopped I went out blackberry picking. Rather fancied another apple and blackberry crumble. On the lookout for this fruit, took these photos from bridge 72

And on the way back...where had all the moored boats gone? Must have been waiting for the rain to ease before setting off.

Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow. The AccuWeather app shows more rain to come. I'm not saying we are fair weather cruisers but....hmm, okay, okay...maybe we are! 

And the only wildlife seen today.

 

Was it a ghostly apparition?

Hey we got to Braunston by 9am, not bad going seeing as we still had the one lock of the Buckby flight to do... and the Braunston tunnel with its bendy bits and...  7 (thank you Adam) 6 locks of the Braunston flight. Well we did set off by 6 am, a great time to leave as no other like-minded insomniacs or should I say idiots like us, were out and about.  

Heading to Norton Junction

Then into the tunnel and a light seen in the distance. Blast a boat must have entered from the other end. But then hmm... That was a bit weird. The light was so bright I was convinced it was a boat heading toward us. It never got nearer, strange... was it a ghostly apparition? And then no light could be seen at all, not even from the end of the tunnel. It went all foggy and eerie, and when we finally did get to the end there was a strange light from the tunnel mouth.

 

That was not the light at the tunnel exit but a bright light which never got any nearer

Simple explanation though, it must have been a boat ahead with a very foggy exhaust. Still, it did feet most strange and surreal.

One of the vents

At last the exit.

And we did find that boat that was in the tunnel ahead of us. We had hoped to lock down with them once we caught them up but all they wanted was to get through the tunnel early and then stop. So it appeared we were on our own once more to do the last 7 6 locks.

In typical Braunston fashion, the pounds were low again.

Mooring was foremost on our minds and all we could see was a long line of moored boats. Then we got lucky, a boat was getting ready to leave. Whipped in there as quick as you like as soon as the spot had been vacated! Got ourselves settled when a text message from Jim and Jen Nb Dire Straits, saying they were in Braunston and moored opposite the facility block by Midland Chandlers. Well, having left Langley Mill and travelled to Braunston with them on our way to do the Thames, we really didn't expect to see them again. But there they were and what a coincidence! "If you come quick" said Jen, "You could nip into the space behind us". So we upped pins and here we are, in a nice shady mooring for a change. The chairs came out and the drink flowed. Now that's our sort of boating!

 And a late brood from this duck,

 

Chaos at Buckby

Foolhardy to think we would be the only ones with the same thoughts. The Buckby locks opened at 1.30pm yesterday afternoon (Monday) and by our reckoning the rush would be over by Tuesday, so we decided to wait until then. Stopping at Nether Heyford and watching as boat after boat went by, we congratulated ourselves on doing the right thing.

Today there was no urgency to get underway, after all we expected hardly any boats to ascend the locks, all having gone the day before.  How wrong we were!

A long approach to the bottom lock and Ian thought he saw a boat going in. Would they wait for us??? We couldn't speed up, plenty of moored boats but as we drew nearer our hearts sank. Lots of people  holding centre ropes, and we had no idea where the queue started. Several boats were facing our way so could rule them out. Eventually a gap showed itself before a boat on the visitor mooring, so we pulled into there. Thinking only 4 were in front we were dismayed to be told all the boats waiting on Whilton Marina moorings were also in the queue! An hour later and it was finally our turn. Then as I got onto the landing a chap whose boat had been moored half on and half off the lock moorings returned to his boat having left it there since last Monday. He had the audacity to say he would be locking up with us. Well you could have floored me. I pointed to all those boats now behind us all waiting their turn and said if he had any decency he would not jump the queue. I should have saved my breath as it fell on deaf ears. He insisted that he been waiting a week for the lock to open (hadn't we all?) and therefore wasn't prepared to wait. I was having none of that and said I already knew which boat was my locking buddy and it wasn't his!

Boats waiting opposite

 Boats having been left on the visitor mooring meant we had a leap frog those to get toward the landing.

The chap on this boat didn't tie to a bollard so consequently ended up across the lock mouth when the paddles were lifted on a descending boat.

Chaos happening behind as more and more boats arrived.

Another reason for the leap frogging was C&RT work boat left on the lock landing and right on the middle bollards. (shame on them) Ian decided to move it back to clear most of the landing.

It was that boat behind Pochard that jumped the queue.

So many boats waiting.

 

 Enough was enough by the time we had done 6 locks and stopped near to Anchor Cottage. So very hot, above 32 degrees so both of us were melting, Ian more so than me as he had done all the hard work. Our locking buddy continued without us hoping to reach and find a mooring in Braunston. Good luck with that! If we leave really early tomorrow morning, maybe we won't have to repeat the queues of today.

Change of plans.

 What a great day we both had yesterday. Our son Colin took us by car to visit with daughter Christine, Son in Law Kev and Grandsons Josh and Thomas. And for the first time we were allowed to hug the family. It's been a long time in coming but oh so welcome. The weather was perfect for a BBQ and the booze flowed freely with several bottles of ale (probably about 6 for Ian) as well as one and a half bottles of wine consumed by me, larger for Kev and pink Gin for Christine. Only our son had forgo the alcohol as he was driving. Anyway it was gone midnight before we returned to FS and of course we forgot the torch. And before anyone mentions the phone torch, well Ian couldn't find out where it was on his new phone so it was a dark walk back to the boat!

Had a lie in then this morning so no early start through Blisworth tunnel. Consequently, it was inevitable that boats would be travelling through. As we approached the tunnel mouth, a Wyvern hire boat was about to leave the mooring and head in but on seeing us asked if we would go first. They were most apprehensive and welcomed us as lead boat. 

First of two boats met

First stop was at the facilities at Gayton. Gosh, it was busy but we luckily beat another boat to the water point by turning at the junction first. Two other boats also wanted the facilities including a wide beam so any later arriving and it could have been a long wait. 40 minutes later we left and with no plan as yet because of the Buckby flight being out of action, we decided to stop by bridge 43A. The railway can be seen and trains heard but with it being a Sunday, the trains are few and far between.

 We have discussed whether the Thames is the right place for us at the moment. So many things have gone awry heading to the river that we are reluctant to continue with the route. Instead, we have planned to head back to the Ashby and this time go to the very end. We also fancy doing the Caldon canal 'cos last year a land slip stopped us from doing the whole length,  we may as well try again this year. But of course nothing is set in stone and could all change again!

And wildlife today

Never seen this before.

 Well I tried! Gave some consideration to the photo problem in the new blogger layout and thought that if I went to my Themes, customise and width I may be able to centralise the photos. It worked to a degree as the photos in the new layout looked better but it completely changed the look of the old blogger way. So do I keep to this new customisation or revert to the old. I suppose as I have to use the new blogger template I may as well stick with that.

Up to make tea early this morning and noticed mist coming in through the side hatch.(We were melting last night and the doors had been left open to try and cool us down) A misty scene greeted me as I looked out.

We moved today, up two locks to moor in readiness for setting off through Blisworth tunnel on Sunday Only 48 hours mooring is permitted along this stretch, so we have to be gone by then. I rather fancy getting through the tunnel early before the rush starts!

 Went for my usual walk and came across a sight I have never witnessed before. Every thing I have read about swans said they eat grass and aquatic vegetation which include mollusc, small fish and frogs. So when this Swan was seen eating a huge fish I was flummoxed!

Wire art along the woodland walk

Southern portal of Blisworth from a different angle.

 

Its sooo hot! 32 degrees inside FS and that's with all the windows and doors open and curtains drawn to stop the sun from streaming in. I wanted to fish again but no way could I sit in the well deck or even outside. No shade at all on this mooring and although we could have moved further along to be under the trees, it would have meant (a) no TV and (b) no sun on the solar panels to keep the batteries charged. Looks like I should stop moaning and put up with it!

And this seen by the lock before ascending.