27th September
Locked through with some nice people once again. They were on a Foxhangers hire boat, but seasoned boaters as they live onboard their own narrowboat in Cambridge and had just come to the K and A for a week's holiday.
We gaily teamed up for lock 19, but when it had emptied and Pete and the other lady, Sarah, had opened the gates, we stuck fast, neither of us able to drive forward! In 14 years of narrowboating we had never had such an experience. The problem was fenders. Had neither of us had them, we would have been free and floating. As it was with what must have been a slightly narrower lock, we were wedged together and against the walls by rubber fenders! I reversed, they went forward and vice versa, but nothing would shift us. Pete finally managed to release our wall side fender, but had to cut it free as well as having to cut the opposite front one which was wedged hard against he other boat beneath the gunwale; we lost it (they sink immediately) , and then we were free! We had lost a back fender some locks before when it snarled in the lock gate as I was driving out and snapped the rope. Hey oh, they were good ones too.
It was all jolly though and we continued with them for more locks and swing bridges with no further trouble. Sarah did tell Pete they were known as the Spencers because silly things seem to happen when they are around, I suppose we were lucky we weren't stuck for the night! They were good fun and we expect we will bump into them again along the way.
Stopped at Hilperton to fill up with diesel. This boat yard had come highly recommended by other boaters along the way for its sensible pricing and they had also mentioned their extensive selection of magnum ice creams for £1. So while Pete bought coal, gas, a new rope and fender, I stood about and pigged an ice cream. Useful member of the crew!
Locked through with some nice people once again. They were on a Foxhangers hire boat, but seasoned boaters as they live onboard their own narrowboat in Cambridge and had just come to the K and A for a week's holiday.
We gaily teamed up for lock 19, but when it had emptied and Pete and the other lady, Sarah, had opened the gates, we stuck fast, neither of us able to drive forward! In 14 years of narrowboating we had never had such an experience. The problem was fenders. Had neither of us had them, we would have been free and floating. As it was with what must have been a slightly narrower lock, we were wedged together and against the walls by rubber fenders! I reversed, they went forward and vice versa, but nothing would shift us. Pete finally managed to release our wall side fender, but had to cut it free as well as having to cut the opposite front one which was wedged hard against he other boat beneath the gunwale; we lost it (they sink immediately) , and then we were free! We had lost a back fender some locks before when it snarled in the lock gate as I was driving out and snapped the rope. Hey oh, they were good ones too.
It was all jolly though and we continued with them for more locks and swing bridges with no further trouble. Sarah did tell Pete they were known as the Spencers because silly things seem to happen when they are around, I suppose we were lucky we weren't stuck for the night! They were good fun and we expect we will bump into them again along the way.
Stopped at Hilperton to fill up with diesel. This boat yard had come highly recommended by other boaters along the way for its sensible pricing and they had also mentioned their extensive selection of magnum ice creams for £1. So while Pete bought coal, gas, a new rope and fender, I stood about and pigged an ice cream. Useful member of the crew!
No comments:
Post a Comment