The Marathon Continues

Despite yesterday's efforts we still had some way to go to reach our target of getting down the Hatton flight before Bernard had to go home, so it was another early start at 06.50. We quickly came upon our first obstacle at Bridge 26, which is a manual liftbridge.

Lift bridge 26 on the northern Stratford Canal

No problem with a crew of two, but when I came through here on my own shortly after buying Starcross I made a complete pig's ear of things and succeeded only in damaging the cratch when I came into contact with the bridge deck. I've treated such bridges with the greatest of respect ever since!  Then came the flight of 19 of the Lapworth locks, taking us 2h 40mins, before turing onto the Grand Union at Kingswood Junction. Bernard had once had an excrutiating passage of Hatton, stuck behind a know-all boater who, in fact, knew very little, so he was very keen to press on. We arrived at the top of the flight at 11.50 and were joined by Namur from Shaprness and her knowledgeable crew for an almost trouble-free descent in 2h 45mins. 

Waiting for the accident report to be filled in on the Hatton flight.

There was one brief hold up about half-way down. It was reported that a lady had fallen off her boat and that BW were in attendance. We were asked to wait whilst the "accident report form" was completed! I can't say I've ever come across this before but apparently she was OK after all. Sorry to say that much hilarity was occasioned to bystanders and boat crews when it was revealed that the boat from which she had fallen was "Double Fracture" This is a blogging boat and the lady in question was presumably Marlene, but don't seem to have blogged about this yet.

Bernard and I shared the work between us: he did the lock-work and I steered - but that was his choice!

He was still keen to push on when we got to the bottom, but I'd had enough (steering is tiring too, you know) and we called it a day at the Cape of Good Hope at 15.00, having covered another 10 miles and 40 locks in just over eight hours. By early evening I was sufficiently recovered to take a walk into Warwick. I set off, but a bus came along just as I got to the stop, so I used my new bus pass instead!