Up early and left at 6:30. Then it started to rain, drizzly sort, the "worst kind". There was quite a flow on the river sections so a little extra welly needed. So I was pushing up towards Springwell Lock and I could see quite a strong flow coming out of the river as it joins the canal just before the lock landing, which is on a corner. So it needed a bit of power. Then I saw a large sort of tented arrangement just by the river formed of tarpaulins and umbrellas possibly even a fisherman's tent. Then I saw the rods. There must have been 5 of them all arranged along the lock landing. To late to change direection, so a toot on the horn and the effect was dramatic. This guy, woke up, threw the canvas aside and ran for his rods, but too late to save them all. He wasn't best pleased, but it is a lock landing. The lock was weiring over the bottom gates and it would have been very dodgy to stop there.
After a while the rain stopped and by Kings Langley we had some sunshine. We made good progress with very little conflicting traffic. A curious scene at Apsley as a coal boat emerged with a narrowboat breasted up backwards. It seemed the narrowboat had broken down after just one lock, so was returning in tow. Pity really because we could have done with a full house, gas diesel and coal but it would have been too disrutive to attempt a transaction at this point.
We stopped for the night above Boxmoor top lock. It can be a bit shallow here but on the second attempt we are nicely moored. Pizza and a bottle of Papavero tonight.
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