Last night we ate at The Red Lion and I have never seen such a good vegetarian menu outside a vegetarian restaurant, nether of us are vegetarians but it looked so good we boat chose different vegetarian meals, the have all the meaty stuff as well.
This morning it was again sunny and we set off a few minutes before 10am as far as Crick Wharf to fill with water. We have stopped here in the past but I have never noticed the old narrow gauge railway lines running down to the wharf edge, two sets are very visible.T he other one terminating at a modern mooring bollard and disappearing under the wall at the front of Edwards Restaurant’s patio (long since closed) .
Opposite the water point there is a modified cruiser, maybe he should have measured a few bridges before he started construction.
Tank full and we headed off through the tunnel and down to Watford Locks, the same Volockie was on that helped up up almost 2 weeks ago, she saw us coming and had the top gate open ready, she also set ahead for us so we were down in short time, mind you she is a boater.
Watford locks consists of 3 standard locks and a flight of 4 staircase locks. The staircase locks have two paddles a red one which fills the lock from the side pond and a white one that empties the lock into a side pound.
To operate the locks going down, you first open the red paddle at the head of the lock in front of you, which draws water from the side pond and fills the lock you want to enter, then you open the white paddle at the tail of the lock you are in that lowers that lock so that you can open the gates between the two lock chambers.
This is the same system as the Foxton flight.
We carried on down to Norton Junction where we turned right towards Braunston, between here and the tunnel we mat a couple of boats and a canoe as well as passing two moored bide beamed boats, as we entered the tunnel there was a boat coming towards us with an LED headlight. I was able to keep the headlight in line with my chimney until we were very close and then there was no escaping its brightness, I did twat the wall as we passed with the stern. We moored a short way after the tunnel just before the lock moorings, there have been several boats come up since we stopped but none going down.
After we moored up I started to disassemble the alternator I removed the other day and found one of the brush carriers to be shot. A new bit is about £15 if that is all it is, but I have no way of testing it other than refitting to the engine.
Todays Journey
8¼ miles, 7 locks in 3½ hours
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