One of the longest legs of recent days, so we left early. Gemma prepped Monkey Marsh Lock and I found this much easier than Garston Lock, the other turf sided lock. Here all the vertical uprights on the steel lock frame are set up as mooring bollards. At the swing bridge following I picked up a small log which we had spotted the night before on a routine dog walk. At Ham Lock we found the dreaded gate paddle baffles all stuffed with tree foliage after the recent storms. The towpath side paddle was so ineffective that even when fully open the resulting water flow failed to seal the bottom gates. There has to be a better way of protecting the unfamiliar boater, but if this is necessary at all, why is the practice not universal. All the gate paddles so far on this canal have been unprotected. Just before Greenham Lock a boat pulled out of the marina in front of us. This was nb Vagabond with which we shared the lock. We briefly parted company, us to take water (£1) at Greenham Boat Services and Vagabonds crew to go shoppiong. We waited for them at Higgs Lock and journeyed together to Kintbury. On this section we had two heavy downpours - a shame for the crew of the Kintbury Horse drawn trip boat that we passed. After luinch at Kintbury we set off again for Hungerford, this time in pleasant weather missing the many CBs to left and right. Good moorings at Hungerford. Its just that there arn't so many boats about. Possible bad news though for my hope to get to Bristol on the 16th. Part of the lock wall at Weston Lock has fallen away and the lock is not expected to re-open until the 16th.
Today's run 7:00 hours; 16 locks; 3 swing briodges; 12 miles.
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