Seabrook to Aylesbury

 Sun 25^th Sep  Seabrook to Wilstone

Morning reflections

Two hire boats came past, heading for the middle Seabrook lock. When we were ready to go, we saw that they were still on the lock bollards. James went to investigate, and found that the next pound was very low, and a guy from C&RT was letting water down. There were some boats above the top lock waiting to come down. We decided to move from our mooring just three boat lengths to get in the queue. Another boat soon came up the lock behind, and so we had someone to share with. Eventually four more boats came up, and our pound was also starting to feel a bit low.

Low pound

Grounded boat

Joining the queue

Three more boats behind

When the next pound looked deep enough, two boats came down, and the two hire boats went up. We couldn’t see any more boats coming down, so we emptied the lock again and went up with Grumpy Otter, a couple called Tom and Daphne. Daphne had never steered before, so Hazel did a bit of training. At the next lock, a wide beam was waiting to come down. Grumpy Otter was only going as far as Cooks Wharf, so they operated the swing bridge for us, and we carried on without them.

Sharing with Grumpy Otter

Tom operating the swing bridge

At the first of the Marsworth Locks, we found Narrow Escape, one of the two hire boats, so we were able to share. The other hire boat had stopped further back.

Marsworth Bottom Lock

Heading for the top lock

According to our Nicholson Guide, there are three sets of Marsworth Locks. There are these two, 37 and 38, north of Marsworth Junction. There are the 7 locks by the reservoirs (39-45), and there are the first four locks on the Aylesbury Arm. We noticed that a new sign has been put up, calling these “Marsworth Two Locks”. When we reached the Aylesbury Arm, we saw a sign saying “Marsworth Narrow Locks”. We are not sure yet what they have called the ones by the reservoirs.

Narrow Escape was heading back to base at Cowroast, so they were going up the 7 locks by the reservoirs. We turned right at Marsworth Junction, to start our journey down the 14 locks to our home mooring.

Marsworth Junction

Into the Aylesbury Arm

As we were going down the first two locks, the staircase, a C&RT man appeared and helped with the lock, which was useful, as you can’t cross over the gates on the Aylesbury Arm, unless they are closed. As we went further down the arm, we discovered that he had gone ahead and opened a top paddle on each lock, so they were all in our favour.

Then a guy called Ted appeared, and helped us with the lock gates all the way down to Wilstone. He has just bought a boat called Three Little Birds and will be bringing it to the Aylesbury Arm to live on it in October. We will look out for him. We moored in Wilstone, just in front of 2BoldlyGo, who moor in Circus Field Basin, same as us.

Black Jacks Lock

Moored in Wilstone

We went to the Half Moon in the evening for the monthly singaround, which was great fun. We sang Chickens, Athenry, I saw the light*, If I were a carpenter, Pilgrim, and There ain’t no grave. Sally was there who runs the sessions at Wing, and we learnt that she had lost her husband Steve a year ago. We hadn’t heard.

Back on the boat, we were listing a bit, so James slackened off the ropes, and went back to the lock above to let down some water.  We hoped we would stay afloat overnight.

12 locks, 3 miles, 1 swing bridge.  Dep 1110, arr 1410

Mon 26^th Sep  Wilstone to Aylesbury

Thankfully, we were still floating in the morning. It rained in the night, so James spent a bit of time mopping up. We still have no pram hood, so the stern gets wet.

As we were preparing to leave, we felt a surge, which meant another boat was coming down through the lock above.  We departed through Gudgeon Stream Lock 9, and cruised the half mile to the two Puttenham locks. As we went, we trimmed some of the brambles that protruded at the bridges.

Gudgeon Stream Lock

Offside vegetation

Puttenham Bottom Lock 11

Virginia Creeper

It was when we descended in Puttenham Bottom Lock 11 that the trouble started. We were both on board, attempting to leave past Bates Boatyard, but we were stuck on the bottom, going nowhere. Thankfully, there was a boat on the mooring bollards, and James could get ashore by crossing their boat. He went back to the lock to let some more water down. As the level increased, Hazel was able to get the boat moving at tickover speed. James closed the bottom paddle, and let the lock fill for the boat following behind. It is almost a mile to the next lock, and James needed to walk as he couldn’t get onto the boat. Hazel struggled in a few places, but eventually managed to get the boat to the next lock (Buckland No 12), where a man had just brought his boat up*, using a lockful and making it worse. We called C&RT to let them know the situation. We also had something on the prop, and James retrieved what looked like a doormat.

Low pound

Taking it slowly

Doormat on the prop

After Redhouse Lock 13, the reedy section was even reedier than usual, and there was a high wind. It also started to rain a little.

Reeds

Looking back

High winds

When we reached our final lock, Broughton Lock 14, a boat was coming up. Rihannon, skippered by Lina, had just emerged from the dry dock at ACS. She moors near Three Locks.

Rhiannon at Lock 14

We saw Jemima, our whitish duck, a little further on, and we continued down to the canal basin, where Hazel alighted at the bows, and operated the lift bridge. We went straight to our mooring, rather than spend time getting diesel, as it looked as though it was going to rain.

Jemima

Into the Canal Basin

Home mooring

6 locks, 4 miles, 1 lift bridge.  Dep 0940, arr 1310.

Totals for this cruise:

305 locks, 468 miles, 16 lift or swing bridges, 9 tunnels

*Amusing suggestions from the editor program on my laptop:
My text:   “a man had just brought his boat up”   
Editor’s suggestion:  “a man had just mentioned his boat”
My text:  “I saw the light”   (song title)             
Editor’s suggestion:     “I understood something clearly at last”

Next: Lots of landlubber jobs to do before we go cruising again. Here ends the blog for a while. Thanks for reading.

Footnote: James rang Ikea on Monday to see if the hat had been handed in. He was told it hadn’t. He rang again to check on Thursday. He was told again that it hadn’t, but the man asked which store, so we were obviously not speaking to the Milton Keynes store. On Friday we decided to go ourselves by car to Ikea, and we asked in all the departments, and searched ourselves. Then we went to Customer Services, and a helpful girl went to look and returned with the hat!! It is a really nice hat, bought at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. James has worn it every boating day since then, as it is light, has a chin strap and allows air. We are very thankful for its safe return.