It just makes you want to scratch yourself when you see the sign post to Long Itchington. It is ten locks and seven miles up the canal. It is great travelling with Janet and Dave as they like to be ready to go by 9.00am and cruise about 3-4 hours per day. This means you get to a mooring early in the afternoon and have the pick of them.
This interesting boat was moored across from us and we could not quite work out why it had a bow in it. Our summation was that, maybe once it was loaded up with cargo it would settle down into the water better and the bow would not be obvious???
Setting off this morning, on coming boaters informed us that the pound above the first lock was low on water. They certainly understated it as we scraped along the bottom of the canal even though we were in the middle as that is the deepest section. We got very stuck on the bottom for a while, and it took a great deal of poling and strength to get us off.
First few locks were fine with water level though it was extremely busy. A number of inexperienced boaters gave Janet and Di some grief as they reefed open paddles to the lock we were in, rather than opening slowly. By opening them full tilt, the water rushes in and bounces the boats off one another and the sides of the locks which causes paint to become damaged.
Toby is a very relaxed boy on the back of the boat and such a sweetie.
We came across this creepy vision. It looks like a person standing on the back of a boat which is meant to get you to slow down but when you get up close it is a mannequin all dressed up. It does work but hardly aesthetically pleasing.
Toby keeping guard from the side of the lock and garnering many pats.
We have seen some of these workings for the HS2 on the Oxford Canal back in 2019 so will be interesting to see how they have progressed in the last few years. To say it is controversial is an understatement.
Dave and Janets boat nb Ella moored up for the evening. Ella is made up of the first initialis of their daughters and the family surname.
Our plan tonight is to have a nice pub meal out together as a farewell even though we are cruising together tomorrow. The reason for this is that there is no pub where we are mooring tomorrow night but that doesn’t mean that we can’t play a game of cards.
We went for a wander around the village of Long Itchington and once again had that de ja vu feeling.
Yeap, we had been here before.
After scouting out the six pubs in town we settled on The Harvester. Had a lovely meal and evening as well as playing a game of cards and keeping the other diners entertained with our antics.
Rowkin Rovings Blog 