Grand Union Canal:Berkhamsted

A much shorter day today and no rush to arrive too soon.   I would hope that one or two moored boats would have decided to leave and there would be mooring space near to the pubs.  A wide beam went up the adjacent lock about half an hour before I did.  I never caught him up, but certainly felt the effects further on.  The Winkwell Top Lock was full of bubbles as usual due to the processed water issuing from the sewage plant further up stream.  Two cyclists had been camping there on the offside overnight.  Sewer Lock, aptly named was next and both top gates open, not due I suspect use to the laziness of the previous boater because I found a tendency for the gates to do that.  At the next lock (leave lock empty with a bottom paddle up) the flow of water over the gate weir was so strong that even with both bottom paddles up I could not move the gate.  It needed help from a passing runner (as before).  The reason was evident at the next lock which was again a “leave empty”, so it was that discharge of water affecting the lock below. Arriving slowly in Berkhamsted I was initially disappointed, that I could see no mooring spaces, but moving along there did seem to be almost a vacant spot if the boat behind would move a meter of so, so I tried backing in as I had previously, when the skipper decided to up pins to go for water anyway and would be returning.   No problem.  His partner sat reading on the towpath to ensure that his space would be ready on his return.