Saturday 7 March 09. Lower Weedon and back no locks.

Yet another fine day, (how long will this last?) saw us heading for Whilton Marina to pick up some fenders and other bits. This bit looks lovely and peaceful but on the left is a 120mph rail link and on the right the M1 is thundering by, looks can be deceiving.

On the way we passed our first coal boat, these are a mobile shop that sells coal/logs/diesel etc you just flag them down, a bit like the old stop me and buy one type of thing.

Just under that bridge ahead the canal widened right out so we thought we would turn around, dear oh dear oh dear (with associated head shaking from side to side) on a ranking of one to ten of good decisions this was well in the minus. To cut a long story short we ended up right across the canal with the bow wedged firmly against the towpath side and the stern nicely aground on the other. I've invented a new prayer,

Please nobody come along, please nobody come along, please nobody come along.

Catchy or what?

Nobody did and with a lot of heaving and revving we got Ubique facing back towards Whilton Marina. Now don't do that again says D (very mild I thought in the circumstances).

Lesson 1: What looks very wide isn't, ____ good excuse for my butt.

Onward!

This is about as close as you want to get to a high speed rail line and no place to moor.

Stopped for the night back at Lower Weedon where there were loads of these young canoeists passing us, they were soaked and cold but determined. We were warm and dry but determined.

The next day will soon be upon us........