Off the Aylesbury Arm

Having been at Red House lock for three days we noticed the water level had dropped although the water was still cascading over both top and bottom gates. We were able to open the top gate without the use of the bow rope so the decision was made to give it a go. We had to get through the lock as the only winding (turning) point was 500 yards further on.
Having got the boat in and started to lower the boat we noticed once again it suddenly stopped lowering. After about 20 minutes it finally levelled and the gates opened with a struggle.
I winded the boat and came back in the lock. For half an hour the bottom gates had been open and this allowed a considerable amount of water to pass through unhindered. For a brief few minutes after we left the lock the level had dropped but by the time we shut the gate the water was once again flowing across the towpath.
Similar problems were experienced at every lock until we reached Wilstone. It was here the overflow from Wilstone reservoir entered the canal and we now could see where a lot of this water was coming from.
Having walked into the village for milk and some very tasty crusty brown bread covered in oats and seeds our journey was uneventful although there was still a lot of water coming over gates it caused no problems. Some property`s in the village had suffered flooding from the overflow channel at the rear of  houses.

This is a canal side property that was surrounded by flood water. We moored nearby on the way down and noticed blue lights  of fire engines late at night so can only guess this was when the water engulfed the house.

A couple of days before our Aylesbury arm adventure began I happened across this scene. He had grounded the boat on the cill in the staircase lock at Marsworth jct. to change the propeller.
Information is the guy is setting up the boat as a pump out service along the southern Grand Union possibly between L. Buzzard and Rickmansworth. Good luck to him, he might just end up with a nice little business.

Plan is at the moment to try the Aylesbury trip after my surgery early March. Just want to get everything sorted and get back to normal cruising but it is not going to be for a while yet. Perhaps by March it might stop raining, still at least we are not frozen in......ooops what have I said.