Oxford Canal:Napton

Into our usual routine, we started early. Last jobs completed we left the marina at 7:45 heading for Oxford, thence the Thames to Reading and the entrance of the Kennet & Avon Canal. Water levels have been high and the Thames still show a preponderance of yellow boards "Strong Steam Decreasing". The Kennet & Avon seems open but with similar advice. Not expecting many boats to be about we were surprised with the amount of traffic particularly later in the morning. It took us nearly 2 hours to reach Hillmorton, actually quite good time. Again, surprise! There was a lock keeper on duty and we had a lock ready for us. Pat helped get us rising and then, as is our usual plan, went on to get the next lock ready. I had never seen the water level so high. The top gate walkway is always wet, but this time it was so deep under the water that the lock keeper had to walk round the bottom gates and even then was at risk of wet feet. The water was up to the level of the lockside and was starting to flow around the gates. The lock keeper was suspicious that mistakes were being made higher up and set off to investigate. Pat had by then sorted out the hire boat waiting near the bottom of the lock above for it to empty. She had been greeted by: "We've been waiting here for ages." She pointed out that they could expect that if the didn't close the top paddles. The lock-keeper went up to let some water down into the last pound. A very patient chap. He told her that it was the second time today that he needed to do this. Fair do's. It was raining now with a bitterly cold wind such that even with 4 layers of clothes incl long johns I was cold and shivering desperate for a bit of global warming.  So anyone could get distracted. On we went shortly coming up behind a slow boat, so slow in fact that tickover didn't do it. This boat was weaving all over the canal and running into trouble at bridges. It turned out to be a Kate Boat and I surmised that the skipper who we eventually found in the front, was letting two novices have their head to learn by experience. Nothing wrong with that. These two managed eventually to get the boat near the towpath out of gear for us to pass, though not in a very good spot. They apologised. No need, but I told them that it did appear that they were over-correcting all the time. They understood. At Braunston we stopped by Midland Chandlers. Our cooley hat had disintegrated and I don't  like leaving the chimney open to rain. Inside the store I saw a lovely stainless short chimney and couldn't resist the temptation. However, by good fortune, I checked it back at the boat and discovered that it was too small by a couple of millimeters to fit on the roof. I tried a couple of others, but all the same. A refund was forthcoming and I left with the cooley hat. Passage onwards proceeded quickly, now in broken cloud with sunny spells and threatening CB's. We moored at Napton just in time to get inside before such a CB emptied a really heavy shower. Only one space left between the winding hole and the turn before the lock. Chicken Caesar salad. Lovely.