A change in the weather this morning with light rain. So we didn't rush. We saw a boat coming up in the lock so I suggested we went and asked if he would leave the gate open for us, but Pat said don't bother. A while later, the boat was still there so I thought I would take a look to see if he needed any help. In fact, the boater was in the process of asking a fisherman for help and didn't seem to be getting an enthusiastic response. The boater and I went to have a look at the scene. The lock was about 3 feet down and had been there for a while. The chap was telling me that he had enjoyed the Oxford Canal and the Thames with its orderly Locks, but was having a bit of a problem with the Grand Union. Ironbridge as we know is a difficult Lock but not this bad. I believe it is on the schedule for new gates this month. A quick look and the problem was obvious. The bottom gate paddle was half up. So we were both soon on our respective ways after a lot of grunting with the top gate that is! Naturally when we reached Cassio Lock the water was weiring over the gates. Below Cassio we were hailed at the wharf by a resident boater warning us about two boats ahead, one being towed, but out of control and very abusive. We rounded the corner and there they were, the narrowboat across the cut blocking the canal with what looked like a pontoon houseboat behind it, but in the bushes. We waited. The bloke on the boat moored on the right of the picture emerged and we asked if he knew what their problem was. "Oh! Theyr'e just inept" was his only comment. There seemed to be about four people on this assembly and gradually they straightened up and with a blast of water from the stern of the narrowboat they were moving again. Then the problem became clear. The towed boat was not being steered, so as it swung haphazardly, it was pulling the stern of the towing boat over and making that uncontrollable. They saw us behind and waved us on and as we passed, the lead boat was driven under branches on the offside coming to a standstill despite fountains of water coming from the stern and the other boat crashing into its stern. I put our boat into warp drive (warp factor 6) and left them to it. We never saw them emerg round the corner at the end of the long straight leading to Common Moor Lock.
At Rickmansworth, there were signs of activity on the towpath suggesting that there might be a race in progress. Sure enough, at Stockers Lock the first of the runners appeared with quite a gap before others. Halfway down to Springwell we were watching the main body of runners, some obviously struggling lost in their world of pain, others just running together chatting and greeting us with smiles. It was a half marathon apparently running from Uxbridge to Watford. We passed that last straggler by the sewage farm, closely followed by a cyclist removing all the signage. Soon we were back at Widewater. Time for lunch, and give the bilge a washout. (I use a wet vac and dispose of the washings at home in case you are concerned)
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