Market Harborough

Raining today (Saturday) and we are expecting Sue and Peter to come for the weekend. Sue and Peter arrive and after sorting out difficulties with overnight parking (thanks Mandy) the rain stopped and I went and reported to the lockeeper who said we could come down straight away but stop halfway. We started our descent of Foxton staircase locks. We had visited here on foot many times , but no brought a boat down. We got to halfway down and pulled over to let a hire boat full of youngsters who hadn't got a clue on what to do pass (thank goodness for the lockkeeper) . As we waited a lady came to report to the lockie and said she was Josephine. I immediately said no I was Josephine and we had a laugh and it turned out to be Josephine No 2, Mr and Mrs Watson (the new owners of Mo and Johnny's second Jojo!) We had a brief chat it turned out they were going to Market Harborough as well so we said we would meet up there.Thankfully there were not too many Gongoozerlers and we managed to come down the flight in just over an hour.

Someone let me out if this lock!

Does my bum look big in this?

It was quite windy in the basin at Union Wharf, Market Harborough but Andy managed to get Jojo turned and reversed onto a vacant jetty. We had previously rang and booked a place for the night, so that Jojo could go on mains electric and I could run the washing machine, joy of joys!
Low and behold after we had taken Sue and Peter into town to do some shopping we returned to see Josephine No2 moored next to us. It is a rare event to get the two boats together although we did sometimes bump into Mo and Johnny quite a lot when they owned her.



The two Jojo's at Union Wharf

Had a lovely evening with Sue and Peter and enjoyed Market Harborough, although the restaurants were very busy, quite a lively town. We ended up at Wetherspoons and then we got the last table, although food was good the place was very noisy. We came back to the boat for strawberries and cream, followed by some Madeira wine Sue and Peter had bought us to try after they had enjoyed the real thing on their recent holiday to Madiera.

Sue and Peter Key

Glenna and Tim Watson

Sunday morning we invited Mr and Mrs Watson onto Jojo No 1 to see inside as they were curious to see the difference between No1 and No2! Tim and Glenna were then returning to Crick mid week.
We untied Jojo and headed back to Foxton locks where Sue and Peter had left their car. Today the weather was much sunnier and warmer and thankfully not quite so much wind.

After a coffee and snack at the café at Foxton we bid them farewell and returned to the boat. We hope to go and see them in the winter and christen their new conservatory! Thanks for your company, hope Elgar was OK.

Foxton Locks

Arrived at the top of Foxton Locks yesterday and got a nice mooring at the top. Karen came for the day by car and she and I went out shopping in Market Harborough. It was lovely to spend the day with her. Thanks Karen, enjoyed the day.
Whilst Karen and I were out, Andy walked down the flight and who should be coming up the flight with nb Just Billy but Wendy and Roger. Haven't seen them since last year. Shared a cuppa and half a cherry cake with them! Lovely to see them again and we promise to catch up with you in the winter.
Expecting friends Sue and Peter to visit us today for the weekend. We plan to take them down the flight and into Market Harborough where we hope to hook up to mains electric and give Jojo's batteries a boost!

Arrive top of Foxton Locks

Since our last entry we have thoroughly enjoyed our cruise along the summit level of the 'Old Union Canal'. It is at least three years since we last cruised this section, and then it was only as far as Yelvertoft marina. It is so nice to be on a canal where you can enjoy total peace and quiet at night time. No trains, no cars, no aircraft flight path and for two nights no other boats anywhere near us.

We came through the infamous wet Crick tunnel with hardly a drip!

Looking back, having just entered Crick Tunnel



Our roof lights in Crick Tunnel and the far end.

 Considering we are in the height of the summer season it is remarkably low numbers of boats cruising this section, from past experience it used to be very busy at this time of year, and if it were not for the Hire boats which are probably 90% of what is moving along here, you could be forgiven for thinking we are suddenly in the winter season.

The only disappointment for us has been the desperate need for some sections of the canal to be dredged. We have found it necessary to go on low rev's when passing oncoming boats, and even then have found ourselves dragging on the canal floor, let alone trying to maintain progress at all.

Yesterday we moored just before 'Freemans Bridge' (48), but try as we might could not get a TV signal on the aerial or sat' dish, so we decided to have a cuppa and rest for half an hour prior to moving on. After ten minutes or so we heard a lot of shouting and calling of a name from the direction of the boat that was moored a little way ahead of us. We looked at each other and both thought 'Oh no, another misbehaving dog up to no good and probably going to pee or crap on our ropes and  gunnels'. After a while I got up to look through the cratch window and saw a young woman clinging desperately to the stern of the boat in front. Jean and I ran out the back of our boat grabbing our recently purchased telescopic ladder as we went. Despite the dreadfully shallow water that we had endured cruising through all morning, this poor woman had been sunbathing on the roof of the boat, rolled over and fell into the canal where it turned out to be almost six feet deep. On arrival at the stern of her boat her 'friend' Lizzie had just appeared from inside the cabin and was trying to calm her down and giving her a 'life ring' to cling onto. I extended the aluminium ladder and placed it over the stern, but found the water so deep I had to cling onto the top step while she climbed out of the water. Not easy to do and somewhat painful to do, but there is no way we could have lifted her out, she was rather a 'Large Portion of Womanhood'. Oh well its all in a day, and certainly proved the worth of investing in the ladder.



Matts Dream, wet boater who we rescued

Today we have travelled just under three miles and moored at the top of the Foxton Staircase locks. Karen is coming over tomorrow for a visit and bring our post. Then we are expecting our friends Sue and Peter to join us on Saturday when we will hopefully go down the locks and cruise up to Market Harborough. Arranging car parking for them has been a nightmare however as the 'Long Term' car park stipulates no overnight parking, any contravention costing £60 fine, whereas the 'Short Term' car park says no more than four hours permitted and no overnight parking (£60 fine) but next to it a sign says 'Free Parking between 18:00hr and 09:00hr. The mind boggles.

Watford Locks

Left Braunston today and as we approached the first lock, I was informed by the lockkeeper that a boat was coming backwards down the lock, so would we mind waiting. I went and warned Andy and sure enough eventually this man appeared walking the boat backwards with the centre rope tied around his waist! It took him forever to get the boat in the lock, he appeared to have no steering. On speaking to the lockkeeper it became clear he had been to a beer festival at the pub above the lock and was now returning to his mooring below the lock and the easiest away for him was backwards! He was well hungover and looking at the mug of cider on his back cabin he was still drinking!!  A second lockkeeper arrived and decided to go and "have words" with the boater, regarding the safe steering of a boat under the influence of alchohol!!
Another boat joined us and we came up the lock flight with hire boat "The Andrew" from Calcutt. These boats (think there might be more than one) are hired out to navel personnel and their families, and are run as a charity I think, I might be wrong. Well!!! If the man coming up the flight is current member of the naval service , God help us!
He had a young boy, his son with him, and at the start of the flight sent the boy to do the paddles. He was about 8 years old. No way could he have done the paddles. Luckily the C&RT lockkeeper was on hand and he did the lock with me. He was so worried about this boy that he told the boat to get inside his boat with daddy and proceeded to do the whole flight of six with me. We had a great laugh, he had a good sense of humour! The man on "The Andrew" did not talk to Andy at all and spent most of the flight on texting or phoning on his mobile. I did not even get a thank you! He was the most ignorant, arrogant person I have met. What a good start to Monday morning!

Headed up the Leicester Arm and arrived at the Watford flight. We reported in with the lockkeeper and there was a queue of about an hour and a half, so we had some lunch whilst we waited for 5 boats to come down the staircase. Our turn next. As we turned the corner I met a woman who instantly said 'I know you, we've met before' . We both recognised each other but where from?? She and her husband had met us earlier this year (May 20th) on the Buckby flight as we were going down to London and we shared a pint at the New Inn at the top of the flight. Their narrowboat is called Sylvia and they were heading down to the Thames but as yet undecided which route to take. They helped us up the flight, a very nice couple who moor at Yelvertoft. Such a shame we can't remember their names!!

Mr nb 'Sylvia'

Me and 'Mrs nb Sylvia'

Andy and Mrs 'nb Sylvia'

Go girl go!

Bridge 100 South Oxford

After a brief visit to Braunston and bumping into Elly and Mick again, we arrived Bridge 100 for the weekend.

Andy has started re-lacquering the mushrooms on the roof. We have nine of these so it is a long job! We first lacquered them about 4 years ago and they are looking sad now. We found some lacquer remover and he is laboriously removing lacquer and polishing and then re-lacquering. He is hoping the weather stays dry! He is well and truly lacquered at the end of the day!!

You will admire our temporary mushrooms!

Temporary rain covers!

Before

After - slightly better!

Hilmorton Again

Now on our return trip to Braunston and then on to the Leicester Arm. Took these photos of the lock arms on the Hilmorton flight. The wording has been carved into the lock arms.

 

Rugby/Hilmorton

Did all our shopping at Rugby and winded outside having said goodbye to our South African friends Brian and Cecelia on nb Life after Work, when we came across our New Zealand friends John and Elizabeth on nb Helen Louise. Unfortunately they were not on board so we will catch up with them later on.

Moored at Hilmorton today as Andy is going to give Jojo an oil and filter change. It is our eleventh wedding anniversary today! No plans. Happy Anniversary Andy X