Up, up and away.

   

I wonder if all these families who fling bread to the ducks realise that rats also feed on it too. After our trip along to Debdale Marina for a £12 pump out we came back to moor below Foxton overnight. Next day we were the first to ascend the locks. In the reservoir pond by the bottom lock were three tiny ducklings. Every time the water came gushing into it they would paddle like mad swirling around violently, as if they were in a washing machine. I suppose they will grow up tough though. We passed through Husbands Bosworth Tunnel early with no boats in sight. Our lunch break was taken at Welford Junction before continuing our journey.

  

One night was spent in a favourite quiet country spot before cruising along to Crick. Here they were putting the finishing touches to the wood/coir/reed edging for the wildlife. I wonder how long it will be before this gets bashed by boats mooring thereabouts. Will it survive beyond the Crick Boat Show I wonder? We crept past the working digger rig to moor for a quick shop and coffee break aboard. Next we entered Crick Tunnel. which is rather like cruising through an archway of beautiful stalactites caused by continual water ingress through the roof. Hurrah, only one boat in there which was following us. We emerged blinking into the strong sunlight, then I began to wipe over the roof before all the water drips dried into white patches, ugh. On approaching Watford Locks I spied the lockkeeper and jumped off to book us in. Luckily we joined 10 other boats in a convoy going down. No waiting around near the noisy M1 motorway for us here. Once down we later passed under the London to Rugby railway line. Nb Collingwood was hovering underneath it with 2 blokes standing on the roof doing a safety inspection of the bridge. We crept by slowly because the boat wasn’t tied up to anything. What I presumed to be the boat owner  was also standing on the boat roof hanging on to the underside of the bridge. He said to me, ‘I’m holding the bridge up so it doesn’t fall on you!’ ha, ha, ha! We arrived just short of Norton junction to moor up in time for a leisurely lunch break sitting in the cratch in the sun, luvly jubbly!