Yesterday afternoon I took a we tumble, no damage done. I was crossing the top gates of Cape top lock to close the bottom gate for an incoming boat, I wandered across the beam, hopped down on the step watching the boat, went round the end of the offside beam and my ankle went over and I landed in a heap beside the fence that protects the bywash. Good job that was there. What caused the fall was the concrete edging beside the area where you stand while opening or closing the gate, it slopes at about 45° It would only take a wheel barrow full of concrete to level the whole bit.
In the evening we went to the Cape of Good Hope for dinner and it was packed, the serve until 9.15 PM and at 9 PM all tables were still taken and people eating in the bar. We ordered and sat in the bar then spotted two people leave the restaurant so we shot in before they even had a chance to clear the table. I must say they do some interesting flavours in there.
This morning we woke to rain and were in no great rush to get off, we don't have far to go now. We pushed off about 10.15 AM but only went round the boat ahead to the water point to fill the tank. Once that was done we set the lock and moved in, I looked back to see if anyone was following and just spotted the chap on a moored boat dropping his ropes off, so gave him a wave and waited in the lock for him, we only shared the two Cape locks before going our separate ways. One of the houses between the two locks has a fine selection of bottles on the fence, I would have expected the local kids to have liked them as target practice.
We pulled over at Tesco for shopping, its very handy as there are 24hr moorings right outside. I think its the first time I have ever been passed and seen them all empty.
We just got back to the boat and it started raining again so we stayed until after lunch. In the afternoon we made a very quick stop at Morrison's I didn't even tie up, just stayed with the boat while Diana got the bits she couldn't get in Tesco. On our we passed a pub called The Moorings at bridge 43, this is on the tow path side where there are rings to moor, but the pub has erected this notice, I am not sure they have the authority to impose restrictions on the tow path.
Leamington have built what looks like student accommodation next to the canal, that wasn't there last time we passed this way.
We carried on to Radford Bottom lock, we would be going up hill now, we have been going down for the past couple of days. There was a boat just going out of the top gate as we arrived. He was single handing and said he would wait at the next lock if no one was waiting to come down. I was hovering mid stream as there were a pair of boats on the lock mooring, if they weren't tied up one was towing the other on cross straps but nether was a butty. They just looked to be sitting round chatting and drinking tea. As I looked behind me I spotted this manikin leaning against the bridge, it makes a change from the old men you usually see like that.
Sure enough at the next lock was the single hander, I think he had only just set the lock. We shared the next three locks and met a couple of boats coming down, so the locks should have been with him from here on. We pulled over to moor for the night in the pound, the level was down a bit so it was bit of a job getting in and we had to try a couple of spots to get beyond jumping range.
Today's Journey 
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