LAZY DAYS AT CRICK

John and i left Braunston making our way to Crick i think on saturday, yes that`s right i remember i missed the cup final moored just in last minutes of extra time. Anyway we backtracked through the Braunston flight of 6 locks and through the 2042yds long tunell to the Leicester Arm where we stopped off for a cuppa and and to empty the toilet cassettes and then as usual got chatting to other boaters so it turned into a 2 hour tea break but no worries not going anyplace by any particular time, what a life. Set off up the arm and pass by watford gap services on the M1 in fact you can walk through the gap in the hedge into the services but who wants to pay extortianate prices for everything they sell. Passing along the arm brings the Watford lock flight. This is a flight of 6 and 4 of them a staircase all single. This being another 1st in my boating life i found it very exciting. The duty lockie was a lovely lady name of CARLY thats her in the pic. She was so laid back about everything it was a pleasure going up the flight. On arrival boaters have to report to the lockie and you are then deemed to be in the queue, no reporting means you are not there as far as CARLY was concerned. She gave her instructions as to how many go up or down and in what order but made it clear it was subject to change and not to start till she gave you the signal from halfway up the flight, anyway she took a fancy to me i think because she said as soon as i entered the staircase to stay on board and she would do the locks, or was it because i was solo boating, i`ll leave you to decide but i know what i think because she waved me out the top lock and said have a good trip LES. Ahhhhhhhhhh! lovely lady. So on we go through some nice rural countryside and into Crick tunnel 1528yds, had it all to myself as John had gone on ahead from Watford locks so i just eased the throttle open and let the boat have a good run. On exiting the tunnell have moored just before bridge 11 the first bridge after tunnell exit as there are so many mooring restrictions along the show site. Will be here for 2 weeks to visit the show and will change the oil top up batteries and give the boat a good clean on the outside. Also some nice walks to do infact i am sitting on front of boat now having just had a 3 hour walk. Will try and get some pics of boats arriving for show and being craned in to the marina, should get busy soon.

Someone left a comment on an earlier blog wanting a pic of the sun brolly. I do love the sunny days but can`t sit in direct sunshine so the shade the brolly gives is ideal.