line after line after line.........of moored boats.

 Well that was a day and a half.     Off for a gentle start just after 8.30.  Geoff was just about to open the paddles to drop the boat in the first lock when I spied a boad heading our way.   So we wited for them.  We have rarely founf company to go down the locks so it was a bit of a bonus.  We only planned to do 2 locks with them however as we needed to stop for fuel just after the next one.

First lock negotiated successfully before disaster struck just as I was approaching the next lock.    This really is not our year.   I was close behind our companion boat and not going particularly fast when I lost control of power and I was in forward gear with no means of stopping!    Took her out of gear but there is a lot of momentum even from a slowly moving narrowboat....theres a lot of steel there!!    To avoid crashing into them I managed to steer away into the left hand bank which needless to say I hit with a rather large clunk.   Its not really a very pleasant feeling when you are supposedly in control of a boat with no means of stopping!

Our travelling companions very gallantly offered to breast up with us and get us down the lock as there was a boatyard just past the bottom end.    However this would have been a big bill and since we have membership of River Canal Rescue we elected to call them out instead.    There was a bit of a wait as our assigned engineer had a couple of jobs before he reached us.   However he came about mid day.   A very nice young man called Tom who knew exactly where we were as he had been called out to help rescue the boat that had sunk in Cassio Bridge lock a few days ago.    We had initially thought that a cable had snapped but this was not the case, it was some little gadget on the end of the cable that had snapped off.

Eventually all was fixed and we were able to set off again, somewhat later than planned.   We managed 4 more locks before eventually tying up opposite Tesco in Rickmansworth.   We have passed long lines of continuously moored boats along the way, this has been a familiar sight along this canal.  Admittedly some of them are :: Waterside Moorings   We had not heard of them before so I had to google to find out about them.    However although there were some signs saying Waterside moorings...ie official,  by no means all were.

Tescos is on the other side of the canal and there are moorings for shoppers with a big notice tht says no overnight mooring.   We have noted what boats are here now and will see how many have moved by the morning.   Ideally we would like to slide across for an early shop but not sure there is space at the moment.

Anyway we are moored, not in the most salubrious spot but there is not a lot of choice. We tied up at 4PM which is late late late for us.

Weather has been great today but forefast for the next few days is not brilliant.   However we have days in hand still for the rest of the journey to Brentford.  Mind you that is if nothing else hinders our progress.    I am just thankful that it happened on the canal and not when we were on the tidal Thames.  One must count ones blessings    I am not completely convinced that all is well with the throttle but Geoff tells me it will settle down so we shall see tomorrow.