Two Tunnels and The Home Straight

On Saturday it was pouring with rain again in the morning so we stayed put until about 12.45.Cruised through Kingswood Junction where we saw nb Gilbert, last seen at Thrupp on 8th August and also nb Bright Angel, last seen at Hawkesbury junction on 28th August. Moored up on moorings just before the Hatton flight, ready to descend on Sunday.

It was a dull dank start to the day on Sunday, but we decided to move on and tackle the 21 locks. We teamed up with a small nb from the River Wey navigation, occupied by Elaine and Bruce. We descended the flight in 3hours 45mins and then continued on through two more locks, arriving at Tesco in Warwick in time to shop before closing time. On BBC news we heard about the murder on a nb at Stoke Hammond. On Monday we continued on our way alone to begin with. Gilbert caught up with us just as we were finishing lunch near the Cutttle Locks. Unfortunately they were just mooring up for the day as they had come down the Hatton flight that morning. They have also been beset by problems, having had their gear box break down and other problems. That combined with the bad weather has led them to return to home base.
Teamed up with a couple on Anglo Welsh nb Bunbury. They had not been pleased with their boat, finding it dirty, damp and with leaking windows-not good in the weather we had been having. Most hire boaters we have spoken to this year have been really pleased with their boats so it is unfortunate this couple had been unlucky. We travelled on with them, their son and their two dogs to the Stockton Flight and went up in double quick time due to teamwork with the two women steering in and out of the locks together and the men working the paddles and gates. We moored up just beyond Norton Junction.

On Tuesday we cruised to Braunston and teamed up with nb Harry, a Kate boat, to go through the locks. Followed them through the tunnel, completed in 27minutes and continued with them through the first lock on the Buckby Flight. They continued on, but we moored up for the night. They were crewed by a taxi driver and his partner, her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend, both jockeys.

On Wednesday we joined up with nb Patience, Liberty and Soak of Peterborough for the descent of the rest of the Buckby Flight. A couple from Peterborough own the boat. She hails from Alma Road and he from south of the river near the football ground. They live aboard and had been out cruising since April. They too have had their troubles. Their engine had been giving them trouble and had cut out when they were in a tricky position in high winds. The boat had spun round and been bashed into a high wall causing considerable damage to their paintwork. I bought a new chimney and witches hat at Whilton Chandlery. We stopped at \Heyford wharf to buy diesel, grease and toilet blue. At Weedon we pass nb Lilly Mae, Jasper, John and Bridget, our neighbours from Vicarage Farm. They were just starting their three week cruise. Later we saw nb Harry, returning north. We moored up in Blisworth about 7pm superbly positioned to go through the tunnel the next day.

It was raining again in the morning, so we didn’t set off too early. We were flagged down when we approached the tunnel and had to wait about an hour whilst two wide BW boats came through the tunnel. Moored alongside Willow Dreamer, crewed by a couple, Stuart and Trish, and dog, Will, from Cornwall. We were later joined by Nirvana, from Yardley Gobian. When the boats came out they were followed by a stream of nb which had progressed very slowly behind them through the tunnel. They had taken an hour and a half to get through. We followed Nirvana though the tunnel, followed by willow dreamer and had an excellent journey through, taking only 35 minutes and passing only one boat. We descended first two Stoke Bruerne Locks with Nirvana and the following 5 with Willow Dreamer. Trish and Stuart have also had their trouble, having been caught on a damaged sill in a lock and damaging their rudder and tiller. There also seems to be water now getting into the engine compartment through their weed hatch. We both filled up with water at the bottom lock and then cruised on to Cosgrove where we moored opposite the Barley Mow. I cleaned the side of the boat whilst David did the deck. As we were nearly at MK we contacted Roy and Lin to arrange a meet for our last night aboard.
We cruised on to MK mooring at the excellent 48 hour moorings at Great Linford after a short stop at Wolverton to stock up at Tesco.