Barnoldswick

Sods law!

Geoff had no sooner cast off when a wide beam appeared the other side of the bridge.   Barney and I were walking again and we set off in reasonable weather, however things gradually deteriorated and about 1/2 mile from the first of the Greenberfeld locks the heavens really opened.  

Before that however soon after leaving we came upon a hire boat in difficulty as they were stuck on the side.
It was a Father and daughter on board with a small dog.  They didn't seem to be in agreement as to the best method of extricating themselves from the predicament they were in!   SO......................I stopped to help....Geoff carried on slowly as he couldn't find anywhere to pull in where he would not have ended up with the same problem.   Eventually we managed  to get him off but by then the daughter had disappeared in disgust with her father and also to search for the dog who had disappeared.   The dog had got into a field which the daughter was unable to get into.......she told dad that she would see him on the way back as they were intending to wind at the next available place.........he asked me where it was and I hadn''t a clue but it transpired it was further than he thought........I have no idea what the end result was....

By the time Geoff arrived, Barney and I were like two drowned rats.....so we moored up and went below for a remedial cup of coffee.   We decided to sit it out until another boat came along to share the locks with.
Half way through coffee a hire boat appeared and luckily the rain had eased so we set off with them.  Mark and his two daughters were on a 4 day hire out of Snagill.  Having the girls working the locks made life easier than normal for Geoff and it is always nice to have someone to chat to in the lock.  We parted company at the top as we paused by the sani station.

During this time Boe had taken herself off in the car to explore Skipton and was to meet us at Lower Park Marina later.   Petroc is booked in there for 2 weeks whilst we travel south for Nephew Marc's wedding and a spot of friend visiting and Granny sitting...well Grandad sitting as well much to Geoff's delight

Boe did find us eventually.......after she became lost again!!!!!!  She said it was the map's fault.

So here we are all snug as a bug in a rug..........in a marina.

Total distance:4.24 mile

Bridges:8 

Locks:3

Elapsed time:3h34m18s 

Average speed:1.19 mph (2.03 lock/mph)