So mission today, Hatton flight. Whilst we were getting bowls of porridge ready this morning a boat went past us in the direction of the locks, then another just as the porridge bowls were emptying. On going outside it seemed that there might be a boat with definitely more than one person on board which looked like they were keeping an eye out for another boat. Our plan this morning was to head to the top of the locks to fill with water and hope another boat would come along that we could share the locks with, but it looked like we wouldn't have to wait. It took at least 5 minutes for me to force the rope at the front of the boat into submission as it was totally frozen again.As we neared the boat one of the crew asked if we were heading down and it turned out that there were six of them aboard, Brilliant!
With one steering on each boat it meant that three locks could be set up by a pair of crew. Easy going. There was a comment to me that they hoped we'd got a large kettle! But as I'm not an ordinary girl I was not going to miss out on the locks and just make tea for all the chaps.
The paddles are hydraulic and of a design I've not seen before with a strange locking mechanism. Quite hard work in fact and the gates on icy ground were a little bit tricksy. The thought of only having to do a minimum of seven of the twenty one was a relief, even though I ended up doing more.
The other boat was a hire boat from Alvechurch, six chaps of varying ages who go on holiday every year February or March and have done for the last twenty six years, They've been narrowboating for the last ten. So we were with people who knew what they were doing. I paired up with their leader, who after a while realised that I wouldn't be putting the kettle on and went off to make his crew a brew. This occasionally left me at a lock to set it by myself, but that didn't matter. Mick said the chap steering their boat was a bit gung-ho at times, this was evident when we came to the last few locks!
As you come down through the top few locks you can see the task ahead, but also the spires of Warwick below, the sun just started to show it's face for the first time in days, quite a sight. The ice gradually melted away, but this left some very muddy walking between locks. We started the flight at 9.45am and finished 12.15pm. Not bad as a few had to be filled and we only passed a couple of boats going up. At the last lock we said our goodbyes and thank yous and headed onwards on our own. They were going to wind and go to the pub for a few pints, do a bit of shopping and then head back up tomorrow.
We turned left and pulled up at the water point just by The Cape of Good Hope pub. The smells were good coming from there, but even though it had come highly recommended it was a bit early in the day to stop. It is going on the list to do when we have more time for definite.
There was a hire boat moored very close to the water point and a German chap came to have a chat as our water tank filled. After chatting for a while he invited us to join him in a glass of mulled wine that his friend on board was just preparing. Well how can you turn an offer down like that! We were offered a top up, which we declined as we still wanted to do two more locks and breakfast had been quite some time ago.
We are now moored just after bridge 35 where the canal leaves the road behind for a while and a lot of other boats are moored. Most of the snow has gone now, hard to think that two days ago I was trudging through a foot high in some places. Mick is cooking Kedgeree for our tea. Hmm Yumm!
8 miles 23 locks
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