Birthday locks

It is Bonny Lass's 8th birthday today. She has spent most of the day at her cruising post on my roof as we climbed down from Barleston to Burston.

All 9 locks were set against us and worse still, a boat ahead of us (later identified as a hire boat) left the paddles up and gates open on all the Stone locks. That meant I had to first close those gates and wind down the paddles before filling the lock so I could use it.

To add insult to injury I arrived at one lock to find two fishermen with all their clutter camped on the only lock bollards. They refused to move and so I had to get off among their clutter and tie to a bollard underneath one of their fishing chairs! They were older men but very stroppy. I pointed out what lock bollards were for but they just said they pay to use the canal the same as I do. I replied that they must have a very expensive fishing licence if they pay as much as I do! Then one of them said if I had a man then I wouldn't have to use the lock landing as he could have steered while I set the lock!!

At that point I was rather naughty and with a tragic look on my face I said "I did have a husband, but he died this year and that's why I have to cruise the boat alone'. I limped off to set the lock while the fisherman who hadn't said much spoke to the gobby one. I couldn't hear what was said but it looked like he was telling him off. Then he moved his stuff away from the bollards, leaving Gobby on his own! I thanked him politely when I fetched the boat and ignored Gobby who was looking a bit crestfallen but wasn't going to move an inch.

Finally we left the outskirts of town and moored up in the blessedly quiet meadows near Burston. It only took us four and a half hours. We will have a couple of days here as we will see our friend Ralph with his hounds for Sunday lunch.