Its not a dead body....

We were expecting a Boat Guest today.  Amanda, who is one half of the team (Whom consider themselves Boat Sharers).  Not David as he is at home harvesting and eating doughnuts in her absence.

So from this pretty pretty mooring, we retraced our steps to Dutton Lock, we did this by phoning the lock keeper in the appointed manner, we did this eight times with no joy and in the event as if by magic when we arrived the gate was open for us to join two other boats waiting.

There is a lot of talk about rope lengths in the River Weaver Hand-out for these deep locks, you are supposed to have long ropes.  
Now prior to last summer on the Grand Trip we did spending almost all summer on rivers we had never given rope much thought, we had ropes and that was that.  

But today was worth a snigger or two, in that the two boats were alongside each other, we were asked to go alongside the two of them and raft up.  Now at 70' we were overhanging both boats by a considerable way so our centre line was fixed to the tiny middle boat's centre and our bow rope I walked back down WaL to hand over to the nice lady on the boat alongside the wall.  We chatted, as you do, they moor on the river Soar, its her first time on the river Weaver and they too have guests to stay this weekend....... whilst all this was being exchanged, all three boats had drifted right across the wide lock..... it seems that in our talking, she was holding our bow rope at the expense of her rope which was so very very short,
(about the length of a skipping rope) it was tied to the bollard only, a shout was heard and a man ran, a rope was pulled and harmony restored.  
But I am really not worried about our ropes now.

On to pick Amanda up at Acton Bridge she was two minutes late, but after a three hour drive I suppose that wasn't too bad.
Rubbish here Reader, emptied my bin two days running!

Her car was hidden and off we went.  Back to Dutton Lock and to the lock keeper who again had the lock all ready and waiting for us with a smile.

Here she is at last.

See what I mean, the place is full of traffic.....

Amanda telling her husband that his tea is in the dog.

We wanted to show her this end of the river Weaver, so we went past last nights mooring, and beyond.  It was breezy and it was getting pretty strong wind in our faces.  We down to the Motorway, M56 I think and found two narrowboats moored up right underneath.

Surprisingly there was spaces next to them....

Me having a go, around the corner we were exposed again to the strong wind.  Medium Boat hair.

So I was driving and watching the water when I gave a scream...... Left the tiller.......ran through the boat....... 
leaving David and Amanda wondering what on earth, she thought it was a dead body!!    But what had happened, was that our cratch cover had blown out of the cratch and into the water, on examination it even had the bow and anchor ropes across it but still was gone.

Look carefully to spot our cushion in the water.

"I've got it!... now what?"

So the boat was turned, Amanda kept watching the overboard and I was getting in position and retrieving.  Good team work I thought, then the boat turned again to continue the run to the moorings and seconds later, David's new hat blew off too!  Too late, too small and too blue for it to be rescued.  Back to the old orange one tomorrow.

New hat unseen.

  We arrived at the same mooring for tonight, Devil's Garden although David keeps calling it Devil's Elbow.  We sat on the bank side to survey the land and had a bottle of sparkle to celebrate the fine company's arrival.  She thinks she is on holiday, but she's going to be utilised all right.

Supper was chilli chicken stir fry with organic primo cabbage and organic carrots.  Thank you David Lewis for sending them.