Grand Union Canal:Marsworth

I am pleased to have completed the day’s plan again, although this time pretty well 2 hours longer than expected.  It’s harder to put a finger on why, but strong winds making tying up very difficult and losing the boat exiting a lock (it was simple to get it back), lock gates swinging open in the wind, multiple lines of moored boats and having to wait for a broad beam are all good excuses.  The good thing is that I have not taken on too much and 15:30 hrs is not a bad time to moor up.   Today’s scary challenge was the swing bridge (No 125).  There are very short landings on the operation side, but they are surrounded by dense vegetation and overhanging branches making an approach impossible.  So my efforts were a total embarrassment.  Just thank goodness I didn’t have any obvious watchers.  The gate is quite stiff and took all my effort to move it.  No pub tonight, although there is one apparently opposite a little further on.  JUST 12 LOCKS today, 15 tomorrow!!