We were up bright and early, well before day break. During the night it seemed as if the water level was unchanged but by the time we could see properly, we were convinced that it was up at least 400mm, enough to hope that we could get away from Lock 17 at least. It seems that another waiting boater may have preempted CaRT by letting water down from several pounds further up.
It was a cold, but very bright day once the sun was up, despite the forecast for heavy rain and strong winds to come later in the day.
Just after 7 we set off - very, very slowly at first but, as the last look at Lock 17 shows, quite a bit higher than yesterday, especially when we could not even reach the bank. Unfortunately we were facing in quite the wrong direction for the sun so that, at best, out photos all look a bit 'arty'!
We might have been moving only slowly but it was a great relief to pass through the narrows (former bridge hole) where we had come to a dead stop two days earlier.
We had not gone very far before it was obvious that the mass of detritus above Lock 17 had left us with something around the prop that was slowing us down even more and also making quite a noise. We stopped to clear it - although we took a lot - a lot - of weed from the prop we did not actually find the culprit making the clonking sound. We presume that it dropped off once some the the weed was removed. Whatever, when we finally resumed progress it was much smoother even if, as yet, not a lot faster. No change in the air temperature but the sun and sky were very bright.
One more photo that, if we had been using a 'real' camera, might well have looked a 'proper picture'.
The former Express Lifts test tower, not far from the canal at this point, caught the sun as well.
To our surprise, we passed at least three abandoned e-scooters on the towpath. It is an odd business model that can stand to lose so much of its expensive capital, either for financial or regulatory reasons.
The next boat coming up was able to progress a bit faster than us along the long, slow pounds and caught us up at Lock 14 - at least they offered to close up for us.
So far the pounds had been shallow but absent of many reed banks. That now changed and for the next few pounds we were hampered by only a bartow channel - even with more water, progress would have been fairly slow.
At last we could see a goodly flow of water in the bywashes - the bottom few pounds had yet to see much of it but it will reach there eventually.
Lock 12, under the motorway, is the start of the section that was being locked up to avoid unsustainable demand from the Main Line of the Grand Union, but specially opened for this transit. About this time we spotted that a Notice had just been issued that, because of the disruption caused by the Police Incident, the open period was being extended to Friday (no mention of the fact that no water had been fed down to the bottom few pounds to make them bavugable!) We were now making good progress and sped well ahead of the following boat.
There were once a number of lift footbridges below some of the locks but all, apart from one, are no longer maintained. However, here - and a couple of others - the principal components have not been destroyed but abandoned nearby. Perhaps the Heritage lobby harbours ambitions for their eventual restoration even if that would require a very different financial climate for it to happen.
The promised rain not arrived, but only, at this stage, a light occasional drizzle. However, it was enough to keep the camera dry in the locker.
Just after midday, some five hours after setting off, we reached the top lock and risked taking the camera out, just to record what was a sense of achievement. Wwe had passed only one boat on its way down - but it was in perhaps the shortest pound!
From here it was a short distance to the service lock just before Gayton Junction. One of our more frequent nightmares as we languished at the bottom of the flight was what we might do if we ran out of water - in the tbal as well as in the canal! At least that one should not recur. We also made the elsan and rubbish disposals.
By now the rain had arrived in the full force predicted together with a very chilling wind. We were keen to make as much progress as possible, especially as the forecast give Friday as a complete write-off. Andrew volunteered bravely to take the first steering stint allowing the rest to have their lunch on the go.
Mike then took over - at which point the rain and wind increased in ferocity (or so it seemed). The first available armco mooring was alongside the West Coast Main Line. Mike soon began to wonder if he had made the wrong call in turning it down in favour of finding somewhere just a bit quieter. It seemed that others were all feeling likewise and the next armco stretch was fully occupied, with the last two slots just being taken as we approached! Finally, just before the entrance to Heyford Fields Marina, a great expanse of mooring presented itself and could not be ignored. The weather made sure that, as we made the boat secure for the night - and put the chimney on for the first time this autumn, we left in no doubt that this was definitely the right time to call it a day! Still, we feel a sense of achievement that we had reached this far.
8.5 Miles - 16 Locks
No comments:
Post a Comment