Date - 20 /03/08 Day - Thursday Start - Napton Top Lock End - Butchers Bridge Braunston We found quite a bit of plant about when we arrived at the moorings. BW contractors have dredged the moorings, engine arm and have carried out spot dredging all the way down the flight. They are now working opposite the Folly visitor moorings and taking all the spoil up the flight and spreading it on the field opposite where we moor. Just as we were about to set off an Ownerships boat came down the cut and slipped straight into the lock in front of an empty barge waiting to go down, why they didn't say something to him I don't know. We had to hang about while a full barge came up and then the empty one went down leaving us to turn the lock before we could proceed. we met several boats in the flight which eased our passage but then had to wait below the Folly for the chaps to move a barge full of mud from the centre of the channel. We then made our way to Calcutt boats to fill with diesel at 63/lt if you take more than 100 lts. This was also a bit slow as Calcutt have all their fleet of hire boats in and the chap in front of us had just filled his stern tanks and was trying to get the bow in to fill the front tank. In the end I jump aboard his boat and poled the bows round. Once he was in and secured we locked down and waited for him to move out before reversing in to take on 180 lts ourselves. We then retraced our steps to Wigrams Turn and headed off towards Braunston. Up till now the weather had been fine but cold and it was now starting to drizzle a bit We decided if it didn't get any worse we would head to Braunston for the night as all the good moorings along this stretch are quite exposed to the cold wind. Once at Branston Diana winded in the marina entrance, the first time she has ever done this and we dropped back to moor by Butches Bridge with a view to eating in The Old Plough. Looking into the marina Diana spotted Prairie Crocus so we wander round and had a cupa and chat with Ken and Claudia who agreed to meet us in the Plough latter to eat. There are very few hire boats out for Easter with all the Napton Narrowboats and Calcutt boat firmly tied up, it must be due to the change in school holidays.
21 03 08 Last night after we returned to the boat it rained and blew, but this morning it was just blowing with a clear sunny day. We set off at about 10 am up the North Oxford canal, we didn't see much on the move and there was quite a wind blowing virtually on out noise, luckily Harnser is ballasted almost flat so the wind doesn't have to great an effect on the bows, in fact with a side wind she tends to weathervane a bit into the wind. The canoes were all out at the pub at Hillmorton but we didn't see any people so I guess they were having lunch in the pub as passed. We stopped just before Hillmorton Locks for lunch and then moved on about half one, we timed this just right to catch all the canalbreaks.com boats leaving Hillmorton Wharf and by the time they got to us they were trying to do their first lock alone and with the strong breeze in the top pound they were having problems. Not the best start to their holidays but at least they have a good run to the next locks to hone their boat handling skills. At Rugby, "Tesco" had their magnet turned on again which held Harnser fast to the bank while Diana went shopping, I suppose when she uses her Tesco card it releases us. We carried on to Newbold where we saw Fringilla moored so we tied alongside and went in for a chat and cupa with John and Joan. We left them at about 5 pm. buy now the wind had dropped and the sun was bright but low in the sky. in the next couple of miles we met several Rose Narrowboat hire boats, I must say they look exceptionally well turned unlike some of the hire boats we have seen today. We moored for the night between bridges 38 and 37 against a nice grassy stretch of towing path. -- Brian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit this site and help save our waterways http://www.savethewaterways.org.uk/
