Mountain Barn to Braunston Top Lock.

Hi Friends.

After a fantastic nights sleep, I even managed to lay-in a little, but no sooner Keith and I were awake Marmite wanted to make her presence known, so she jumped on the both of us and then stood on Keith looking into his eyes, you know like the cat in "Cat Woman" the one where Halle Berry is Cat Woman. Anyway that was Marmite's good morning hello this morning. With us both awake when then discussed what the day would bring.

It is true to say that we both definitely have itchy feet and the need to get moving, so much so, that our golden rule flew out of the back doors of the back cabin, because we decided to travel on a Saturday. We set off at 8.45am, with a view to getting down through Watford Locks. On the way I sold two bags of coal to friends of Charles and Ann on NB Moore2Life and then we actually passed Charles and Ann. The Watford Locks decent did not happen until after some lunch, because we had to wait for six boats coming up the flight. Whilst we waited I made us something to eat and a coffee. Today was much colder day than of late, but at least it was dry, if windy, but with a load of coal in the hold the wind doesn't affect Hadar so much. The new prop is performing well, we can certainly stop a lot quicker, and have been running at lower engine revs for the same ground speed. At 2.30pm we left the Leicester Line at Norton junction and into the deeper water of the Grand Union Main line we really noticed the difference, she motors along quite nicely now. I got to take the tiller to Braunston Tunnel and loved the way she now moves through the water. We had thought of stopping just after Norton junction, but the ringed moorings were all taken, so we carried on to the top of Braunston locks cruising through Braunston Tunnel.

Now I am going to have a moan. I so wish people would have a stern light on when going through tunnels. So many people seem to think that anyone following them must have night vision. They think nothing of putting their tunnel light on at the bow, but no thought for anyone following them. We struggled to see the boat in front of us, thankfully he exited the tunnel before we actually caught him up completely. If people would just put a back cabin light on it would help. A stern navigation light would be even better though. The thing I have noticed more and more, is that the cruiser stern boats are fitting skirts around their sterns which when blocks off any light from a back cabin, which means they cannot be seen in a tunnel from the stern. Ok moan over.

Having come out of the tunnel, we moored up at the top of Braunston Locks and this is where we will stay for the rest of the weekend. The TV signal is not great, but at least we have channels 1, 2 and 4. I am however very unlikely to be watching the Eurovision Song Contest, with Jedward involved. I can see Ireland get nil points, although someone said they were second favourite to win behind France arghhhhhhhhh.

Ok off now to do some dinner.

Chat soon xx