Tue 24th
Oct Water Eaton to Leighton Buzzard
After a
dark night with no power, we had a short distance to travel to get to
Willowbridge Marina, where we hoped we might find someone to help us. We had
been told on the phone that their electrician would not touch 240v electrics,
but we had come to the conclusion the fault was somewhere on the battery side
of the inverter, and not on the 240v system.
The chap
behind the chandlery counter did not know what to suggest, but a man called
Steve was there who suggested Graham, and electrician who used to have his own
boat, but was now working on car maintenance, just behind the marina. We went to seek him out, and he was reluctant
at first, as he had a lot of work on, but he agreed to have a look.
He quickly
confirmed the problem as being the domestic battery isolator switch, originally
suggested by John Froggatt. He said he
would have to order one, and came back to tell us that it would be delivered
later that morning, and he would fit it soon after that.
We moved
across to the other side on the canal, to free up their fuel pontoon, where we
had taken the opportunity to fill our water tank. We spent several hours there, watching many
blue Wyvern Shipping hire boats going past in the direction of Milton Keynes.
Soon after
lunch we had a phone call from Graham, and we moved back across to the fuel
pontoon for him to fit the new switch. The job was soon done, and we left, £80
poorer.
Leaving Willowbridge Marina
All the phones
were put on charge, so there are no photos of Stoke Hammond Lock, or Soulbury
Three Locks, where a volunteer helped us through. The Wyvern hire boats were still coming, as
it was the start of half term week.
Wyvern hire boats
A tug with
a barge full of dredging came the other way, so we knew there was dredging
going on somewhere ahead.
Laden dredging barge
Globe Inn
Fungi
At
Leighton Lock, there was a man in an orange boiler suit, looking as though he
had just escaped from Guantanamo Bay. He was operating the lock for the
dredging team. We noticed lots of
conkers floating in the water.
Leighton Lock
Conkers
We passed
through the lock, and found a mooring just above, before we reached Wyvern
Shipping. The batteries were now
charged, so we had power in all the right places!
5 locks, 6
miles.
Wed 25th
Oct Leighton Buzzard to Ivinghoe
This
morning there was beautiful sunshine as we moved the short distance up to the
Tesco moorings, where there are abundant ducks all over the canal.
Moored in Leighton Buzzard
Ducks near Tesco
Another
empty barge was moored in front of us, and a full one came through with a tug
pushing it.
Dredger barges
After
visiting Tesco (twice) and Aldi and Homebase, we continued on our journey
south. We noticed a new building just
past the bridge. This was under construction when we were last here a year ago.
New building in Leighton Buzzard
Beverley and Ascot coal and fuel barges
We passed
the wharf where there are still some narrow gauge railway lines, which
apparently date back to WWI. They were used for loading barges from the nearby
cement factories.
Old Wharf with narrow gauge railway lines
Hugo looking at boats
Dredging below Grove Lock
Church Lock
We came
across yet another lifeboat moored up, and then we passed Fulbourne, which is usually moored in Aylesbury during the winter.
Another lifeboat
Fulbourne
We pressed
on as the weather was good, and we finally moored between the two locks at
Ivinghoe. We could see the Whipsnade
Lion carved into the chalk hillside.
Last time it was very green, and we could hardly see it. This time the
front half was white, but the back half was still green. A work in progress.
Moored at Ivinghoe
5 locks, 5
miles.
Thu 26th
Oct Ivinghoe to Black Jack’s Lock
Following
a lovely sunny day, with clear skies, we were greeted by a very damp day today.
A Mist hung over everything, making the boat thoroughly wet. The short pound between the two locks had
lowered due to leakage in the lock below, and the boat was tilting at an angle.
Early morning in Ivinghoe
Tilting boat
Misty morning
James went
to let some water into the pound so that we could move off. We then cruised
slowly through the mist, passing ghostly moored boats near the Seabrook locks.
Ivinghoe Top Lock
Moorings in the mist
The swing
bridge just before Pitstone needs neither a windlass nor a key. All you need is
strength to push it. This is where we
saw a mink on one occasion. This time a squirrel ran across and back as we
approached.
Swingbridge at Pitstone
Marsworth
Top Lock was our final double lock for this year, and we were pleased about
that, as they are very heavy.
Leaving Marsworth Top Lock
Then we
were in Marsworth, with a brief stop under bridge 130 to dispose of rubbish,
followed by another pause at Bridge 131 to empty two cassettes.
Thatched building at Marsworth
Marsworth Wharf Crane
At
Marsworth Junction we turned into the Aylesbury Arm for the final part of our
journey. Everything was still very wet,
and to make it worse, the strimming team had been along, so that cut grass was
sticking to our feet.
Into the Aylesbury Arm
Staircase Locks 1 and 2
Lock 3
Approaching Black Jacks Lock
Autumn Colours
Red leaf in the dew
Variegated fronds
We moored
where we had intended, just below Black Jacks Lock. There were four other boats
moored up just beyond.
Moored below Black Jacks
10 locks,
3 miles.
Fri 27th
Oct Black Jack’s Lock to Circus Field Basin
The mist
was still around early in the morning, but then the sun broke through and we
had a good day.
Early morning at Black Jacks
Misty fields
Sunshine arrives at Black Jacks
Dew on the roof
A work
boat came past, complete with JCB, so we knew there was some work going on
ahead somewhere. We set off, and found
that the first four locks, were all against us, with the bottom gates open, and
one paddle up. If the gales had been
closed, and the paddles down, the locks would have full, as there is so much
water flowing down and over the top gates of the locks.
Lock 5
We kept
the hood up to start with, with the intention of drying off the dew, but when
we came to the first bridge we had to put it down.
Cruising in the sun
Magpie enjoying the sun
At
Puttenham Bottom Lock, where there is a bridge immediately after, there were
some brambles hanging over the channel, and one took James’s hat off! We keep a pair of secateurs at the helm, and
we nip off any brambles that intrude into the cut.
Hat on a bramble
Bates Yard
comes next and there are always some wooden boats in various stages of
disrepair, or refurbishment.
Bates Yard
Suit DIY enthusiast
After Red
House Lock 13, there is a length of nearly two miles without a lock, and it was
here that we came upon the work team, who were upgrading the towpath.
Works vessels
Towpath works
As we approached
Aylesbury we could see some of the new houses that had been built, and a large
estate just by the ponds where James had seen snipe on two occasions. The field’s
boundary hedge had been completely removed.
House building by the snipe ponds
New canalside buildings
Our apartment
When we
arrived at the basin, we found Bryan ready and waiting to let us in. We had
sent him a text ten minutes earlier.
Bryan on lift bridge duty
We went
first to the fuel pontoon to fill up the tank to avoid condensation. We needed
to offload the coal bags from the roof, as it is difficult to reach them when
we are moored. We then moved across to our “usual” berth and tied up. Bryan had
left our access ramp nearby, which we set up to make it easier getting on and
off the boat.
Hugo realising that we have arrived
Our winter resting place
Night scene in Circus Field Basin
We went to
the bar for the usual Friday evening social gathering and met some familiar
faces.
10 locks,
5 miles. 1 lift bridge
Totals for
the year 2017: 572 locks, 721 miles, 61 lift or swing bridges, 385 boating
hours, and 16 mice.
No more
blogs this year unless something unexpected happens. Back into the life of the church, taking our
turn to lead the worship, running a life group after Christmas, taking part in
various folk clubs and music sessions in the area. The next task is to go by train to Saxmundham
next week, visit James’s sister Maggie and her husband Clive, and return with
our car.
Next year:
probably the Llangollen, as a mission seems to be gathering momentum in
Ellesmere. If not, maybe the Fens, Peterborough, Cambridge and Bedford.
