Watford Gap

Captains Log


Canal Date                     1st July 2011
Travels                              6 Miles 13 Locks
Current Location    Watford Gap

What happened to June? I demand a recount! Where is it? Who stole it? It must be here somewhere. It can’t have all gone. If it has then we are well on the way to Christmas and that can’t be right can it?

The Braunston Working boat weekend was very good. Well worth stopping a few days for. The event was a gathering of historic working boats and a twice daily parade. Now the parade bit would take some organising to get right. Unfortunately the organising bit did not appear to be there at all. There were people with Hi-Vis jackets and radio’s . I think that the event worked in spite of the organisers, not because of them! Having said that, it was a most enjoyable sight.

We had been moored for 10 days and the batteries were starting to fade a bit, so time for a change of scenery. After dumping the rubbish and emptying the poo tank and filling the fresh water, we set off to pastures new.

We climbed the six wide locks at Braunston with another boat, that always makes life easier. We then entered the Braunston tunnel. About half way through, an on coming boat crashed it the side of us. He said that my light was blinding him, I tried to tell him to look down the other side of the boat but he did not comprehend.

We carried on to Norton Junction and turned left into the Grand Union Leicester section. All nice level sailing until we arrived at the Watford Gap flight. Last time we were here we had to wait 3 ½ hours before we could proceed. This time it was a little better but we still had to wait 1 ½ hours. We moored up about 1 mile past the locks in pleasant open countryside.

We have spent much of the morning sanding down and re-varnishing the boat ceiling. It look better for it. It just that once you start you have to continue. We only have all the sides, doors, cupboards, wardrobes, shelves, TV unit, steps and table to go.

Volunteers are most welcome.