The forecast had been looking good for Sunday since the middle of last
week and so the decision was made to turn Jannock round so that we can
do a pumpout. We co-opted Brenda's brother Gary as a willing crew member
and set off South from Bourne End. We has two options available. Six
locks and two miles down to Winkwell would enable us to turn or go the
whole twelve locks and four miles to Hemel and make a (short) day of it.
The glorious weather persuaded us that the latter was the best option so
off we went. No worries heading South with only three other boats seen
moving en-route. The Herts & Bucks yard at Winkwell looks busy with a
couple of freshly blacked boats craned out onto the grass behind the
moorings as well. There was not much else to report for the outbound
trip, Brenda winded Jannock just below Boxmoor bottom lock whilst I
waited lockside to work back up again. We moored on the off-side just
above the lock for lunch utilising a convenient overhanging tree to
secure the bow rope and placing a single stake at the stern. No problems
with mooring stability as not a single boat passed us whilst we were
there. Once the crew were fed, we set off North again with very little
to report apart from a pair of southbound boats that we met working
through Fisheries Lock and an eye opening incident at Winkwell swing
bridge. On our arrival at the bridge, I inserted the key and operated
the bridge whilst noting a green narrowboat was moored at the bollards
immediately North of the bridge. As the bridge swung open, a woman
called across from the pub " How many keys do you need to work the
bridge?". She was waving a BW Watermate key at me so I replied "only
one". "Oh" she said "I thought you needed two so I'm over here trying
to get another, Can you wait while our boat (gesturing to the green one)
passes through?" She then hollered at the bloke on aforementioned green
boat who untied and passed through the bridge once Jannock had cleared.
I closed the bridge and made my way up to the lock where a newish
looking sailaway was working down through the lock. I offered to take
over from the landside crew member so that he could go ahead and operate
the bridge. "Have you got a key for the bridge?" I asked. "No" came the
answer. It appeared that this new, as yet unfitted, sailaway did not
possess a watermate key. So, being the nice person that I am, off I went
back to the bridge to work it for yet another boat. Finally, back on the
mooring above lock 59, the next boat up behind us managed to leave both
a top and bottom paddle up as they departed the lock. This error was
spotted by Julian on his return to Parglena just before we set off home
in the car. Brenda's summary of the afternoon - Good job we weren't
having a picnic as there were a few sandwiches short this afternoon!
Graham (who left the blackberry at home:^)
www.jannock.org.uk
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