Fenny Compton

At Cutweb we were moored on the bank with a couple of boats breasted up against us. After extricating the boat with the help of our neighbours from the raft, I set off for the first of Stockton locks under the bridge and round the corner.   Pat had gone ahead but was just beginning to empty the lock.  A Canaltime that had set off 3/4 hour earlier had left a top paddle partly up and the pound above was quite low.  The BW lengthsman was sending water down and checking the flight.  Two more of our group, nb Levick and nb Pilgrim were following.  The BW lass had opened the first few gates for us and our friends were happy to see us out of the lock so we made rapid progress.  With Pat roving ahead we soon became independent and managed two opposite directions without hold up.  At Calcutt, Levick joined us. The canal seemed quiet and we were looking forward to a seamless climb of Napton Locks, but this was not to be.  We were quickly up the first lock, but then found ourselves behind another boat in the pound above and it stayed that way to the top.  At each lock opposite direction boats were either descending or waiting.  Mostly private boats, it seems that it was very busy yesterday and a good number thought it would be clever to "wait at the top until the morning".   It appears that to many had the same idea.  By the time we reached the top the rush had died down and we passed only a few boats all the way to Fenny Compton arriving there at about 16:10.   Time then to get a bottle of milk from the pub shop and for me to put some rust treatment on more rust spots appearing on the roof.  A good freeview TV by the way from Sutton Coldfield.