We had some unwanted excitement last night. In the evening, someone had run some water through the lock ahead of us to the pound below. By the time we went to bed we were at a bit of an angle as the water level had dropped and we were aground on the towpath side. Then we woke up at gone midnight on even more of a slant. We went to check the lock ahead and found one of the ground paddles had been left a couple of inches up — it looked fine from a distance but the water was just flowing through the lock. Then we walked up and ran water down through the two Gas Locks — we had to do both as the pound in between is small. We couldn’t take too much, as the boats above the locks were beginning to suffer the same fate as us, but after half an hour or so we were floating again.
Macc had slept through last night’s activities, so he was up at his normal time. Adrian dealt with him and his breakfast while I stayed in bed a bit longer. We’re ahead of schedule so had considered staying in Berkhamsted another day, but the towpath is a bit busy for Macc, and the questionable water levels also put us off. We were getting ready to go at about 9 when a boat came up the lock, so I said he could leave it full rather than emptying it again, as we’d be leaving shortly.
A bit further along is the famous Berkhamsted totem pole.
Along this same stretch is a rather nice house which always looks slightly mad. It used to have a big gorilla in the conservatory, but I’m not sure it’s there any more.
Most of these locks need to be left empty with a paddle up, which means that for those of us going down hill they’re nearly always set against you. That was the case for the next lock and the one by the Rising Sun pub. Below that one, we stopped on the water point on the off side; it’s round the back of a petrol station, and has a sign that’s clearly in Esso’s style and format.
We had the three Bourne End locks to do, and we really didn’t remember this section at all. There are quite a lot of moored boats though, so it’s all quite slow. We liked the tunnel lights and horn on this boat; the figure looks as though it’s been made from a couple of old gas canisters.
We tried mooring in a couple of places below Sewer Lock, but as is so often the case the gaps between the moored boats are there for a reason — usually it’s too shallow to get near the side. The third place we tried was better though, and it’s in quite a nice spot.
This afternoon, Adrian went for a siesta and I took Macc for a walk down the two Winkwell Locks towards the swing bridge, all of which we’ll do tomorrow. There are some permanent moorings below the top lock, and one of them has a moorhen nesting in one of its tyre fenders.
I have made and scheduled another podcast episode, so I’m quite well ahead of myself now. A couple of boats came past, and a bit later we noticed we were on the wonk yet again. Adrian walked down to the lock, which is supposed to be left empty with a bottom paddle raised. However the last boater had left the top gates open while still raising a bottom paddle, with the result that water was just flowing through and leaving us grounded. Adrian closed the gates. This pound has a supply from the sewage works nearby, so hopefully we’ll be back on the level again soon.
2 miles, 6 locks. (74 miles, 87 locks)