Rickmansworth

We're off to Rickmansworth to join in the canal blockade scheduled for tomorrow as part of the nationwide demonstrations protesting about the DEFRA cuts to the waterways budgets.  (See the saveourwaterwys web site for details).   We left home later than usual and as expected the cross river traffic at Battersea was horrendous.  On arrival at Harefield there were many small jobs to be done before departure, namely lighting the fire, fixing hooks to hang the new TV antenna in the centre cupboard, filling the water tank, and fefilling the coal scuttle and smokeless fuel "bunker" (front steps).   Then, to cap it all, the engine start battery is definitely on its last legs and at 10 volts was not enough to hold the start solenoid, let alone start the engine.   So I had to resort to my once before tried fall back of linking to the domestic batteries.  Eventually we set of at 12:15 and joined "Annie Charlotte" for the trip to Ricky.   No surprises en-route.  Lots of badly leaking bottom gates though.   Stopped at Tesco for food beer & wine, by which time it was almost dark.  Moored up behind a pretty dutch barge, then at dusk, decided to move as a nearby tree could have been a hazard with 75mph winds forcast for tonight.