Giffard Park

The day started with a clear sky with morning mist around the two locks ahead.  The early rays of the sun were lighting up the top of the mist in the valley creating a golden stripe visible through the trees.  Magic!   No problems until Ivinghoe Locks.  The pound between locks 32 & 33 was pretty well empty, at least 3 feet down.  Pat went ahead and reported that the tug 'Progress', which had passed us yesterday where we were moored, was high and dry on the mud and rocks at the bank side.  There might have been a bit of a channel for us in the centre, but my expectation that the boat would ground in the lock proved true.  The bywash was running and the lock below was half full with no obvious gross leak, so a bit of a mystery. The lock below when we reached there did not appear to be leaking.  Had the pound been deliberately drained?  No option, therefore, but to let a few lockfuls of water down.  With this, Nuggler just got afloat in the lock and managed to get to the next, staying well in the centre.  The water was just lapping the bottom of the tug's propellor by this time.  Moving on, no more trouble.  Leighton Buzzard was passed and there were only small delays at Soulbury with opposite direction traffic in the locks.   A stop was made at Willowbridge for fuel and we decided then to push on to Giffard Park so as to be in a good position for Tuesday where we expect to be at Braunston.