Oh no, not again!

The next day's weather was rather nice, I did my 10,000 steps by walking back down the canal, onto the road towards the village of Salt, I walked for 5K steps then turned around and walked back to the boat.  When I got back I did some knitting, an unfinished project for the grand baby in New Zealand.  Later we toddled along to Hogarth for Barbie-Queued sausages and halloumi, the three ladies all contributed salads.  It was a rainy afternoon and brave Joe was outside cooking.  Such a hero.

We had been trying to learn the card game of Cribbage when we were just the two boats and four of us.  But now David and I taught them a new game called Sh*thead!  

(Apologies for the language)  

Its a game for any amount of players.

Much laughter followed.  All in all a lovely restful day.

The next morning we staggered our departures, Amanda and David were first away.  We are heading northwards to Stone, but there limited moorings below the Star Inn lock and we hoped to all get in. 

This is WaL approaching Sandon lock

Poxy Canadian geese, in the past we have seen dozens and dozens in the fields around Weston, thank goodness many less this time.  

One of my favourites and my first Foxglove of the year.  I have tried many times over the years to harvest the seeds of my garden plants and spread them far and wide for the following year but I think David hoes them away.

Cows in buttercups.

I'd guess at a Belgium Blue, but Mr Lewis will correct me.

I got off the boat to walk on the tow path after Aston lock as the tow path is hard there with light grit.  I am also blessed with Plantar Fasciitis in one foot, so walking on terra firma is more comfortable, you may not see here but the forecast rain arrived early. 

It was shortly after here that I discovered I need a new rain coat, this one is 14 years old and the hood is too short and all the seams leak.

This smelt divine.

So as we approached Aston lock, we had messages and then a phone call from Amanda, whose boat was in front to say that two vintage boats were ahead of them, but one had gone aground just before the first bridge completely blocking the canal.  

I think it was due to low water plus the number of boats moving that day.   David Lewis who was helming Caxton, tried in vain to tow him backwards but it wouldn't budge.  

Amanda who was on the towpath helped the helm of the second vintage boat, a fuel boat to pull it free with the boats centre line, this was all unseen to me as we were still below the lock, by now there were three or four boats waiting to go into Stone and boats the otherside waiting to leave Stone.

After some considerable time the fuel boat was at the side and the vintage boat was also at the side but sticking out into the canal, so boats could only edge past taking care themselves not to go aground on the offside, one passing boat did and a further delay ensued, but the Lewis's had escaped.

Well, I guess it was half and hour or forty minutes later when we could ascend the lock.  I walked on only to find that the bloody vintage boat after this rush of boats had passed him, he had decided to have another go at moving, of course the pound was even lower now for these two deep draught boats because of the boats that had gone passed and used the lock.  

Added to the mix were a flotilla of clubs boats that were coming up from Tixel Wide and intending to turn around and retrace their steps the next morning.  I did ask myself with the knowledge of the low water in front of them why not simply turn prior to the lock, but no they all just kept coming and the pound got lower.

I went forward to ask if I could help pull, yes was the answer from the fuel boat helm, so I took the bow rope and joined in the pulling backwards.  It moved a bit, but only a bit.  

More fruitless attempts.

David was hovering amongst boats on private moorings drifting without much space to go anywhere.

Then as the rain teamed down on the proceedings, the vintage boat owner went and fetched a winch which he inserted into the ground and attached his stern rope to.  This rope had two large knots holding the pieces together..... When I saw the state of it I moved well well out of range as I predicted it breaking and the winch flying through the air.

I didn't have long to wait.

He tried again then with three large knots.....

Finally with the fuel boat pulling and two of us on ropes it did move back to the side where it had been maybe an hour before.

I walked on, no thanks for my efforts but hey ho.  I told the oncoming boats to wait for three boats to come though the bridge as if those (including WaL) didn't vacate they wouldn't have anywhere to go.

Well by now most people were soaked to the skin, I walked ahead as no chance of getting back on WaL as the water was low.  

I marched on to the visitor moorings and saw that there was a space newly available and within a short while David brought WaL onto it. 

David Lewis helped pull us in, hardly seemed worth putting the tonneau cover on as the deck was completely soaked already but he did.

Sadly no spaces for Joe and Lesley on Hogarth so after they watered up they carried on up another four locks to find a space.

Well the drama didn't end there as about three hours later who should appear but the two vintage boats again.  The fuel boat helm was heard to say she had pushed the other boat through every bridge hole (About 4 or 5 bridges) they had arrived together at Star Lock and the very same thing, got stuck and were there for a good 90 minutes. 

We didn't see the end of it here as when the rain stopped and the four of us had had hot showers and draped the wet clothing, shoes and coats all over the bathroom,  we went to the Joules Pub. 

Having our second drink,  they went passed the pub window, 

it was over four hours since David Lewis had offered help.  

I too had offered WaL too to tow him back, but rejected.  They would have been better off waiting a night for the water levels to return to normal, but that's folk for you.

Amanda had a ringside seat watching the whole thing at Star lock.   If you can't make it out the vintage boat in the middle, he in turn had pushed a hire boat onto the mud to the right and the fuel boat was on the left.  No other photos due to the rain.

When I took off my soaked trousers, I gently shook them out and the turn ups were full of grit from the towpath which went all over the floor, marvellous.

Supper was leftover salmon pasta.