Date - 13 9 07 Day - Thursday Start - 745 Napton Top End - 1645 Bascote
We travelled up to the boat on Wednesday 12 September arriving just before 7pm. There were already two boats moored just below the lock and one above. Narrowboat Sawdust was just coming up the flight and he told us that the mooring by the Folly were full so we decided to stay on our moorings overnight and set off Thursday morning. We were still uploading the car when a second boat moored above the lock. Magic has had bit of an iffy tummy for the past couple of days so we made sure he had plenty of chance to do what he needed to, but even this didnt shop him making smells all night and he sleeps right under our bed. It got so bad that at about 3 am I got up and opened the engine room doors to let some fresh air in. Looking out the sky was dark blue with super bright stars. Thursday 13 September We were up at 7 30 am to let the smelly dog out, as we did a boat came sliding past going south. There wasnt a breath of wind and everywhere was shrouded in mist with a clear sky. We quickly dressed and by quarter to eight we were on our way. We had a good run down the flight, not fast due to all the moored boats, but steady meeting a couple on route. At Napton bottom lock we were held up for half an hour as BW were fitting a water level gauge in the tail of the lock which would tell their control room how often the lock was turned. It was a good opportunity to have an egg and bacon sandwich for breakfast. We didnt have much luck with the locks after that going down Calcutt and Stockton by our selves. Between Calcutt and Stockton we passed Minnehaha, Pilgrim, Laura and Nuggler all moored up and enjoying the mid day sun. On the Stockton Flight BW were carrying out a 3 monthly inspection, once they caught us up the kindly closed the bottom gate for us which speeded us on our way. Following Grahams advice we filled with water opposite the Blue Lias. The only problem being that there was a boat moored right on the water point, so I did what I always do in this situation, pulled alongside, and walked across there deck with hose and filled up as if they werent there. Its getting very difficult to wind along this section now. Kate/Ownerships have a big No Winding sign in their marina and Warwick Fly boats have filled the mouth of the arm with working boats, that and the boat moored right opposite the arm would make it very difficult for a boat of any length to turn. At the top of Bascote there was a Kate Boat moored on the lock moorings, but when we came along decided to go down with us after I set the locks, top full, bottom empty. I could see a single boat leaving the next lock so I opened the bottom gate fore them. This meant that we had to do a shuffle between the top and bottom pound which confused the hire boat a bit. We carried on with the hire boat until we reached Radford Semele where we winded and moored for the night opposite the church at 4 45 pm -- Brian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit this site and help save our waterways http://www.savethewaterways.org.uk/
