Day 22, 23, 24

Our first full day on the boat got started after a late breakfast   Bike riders and joggers overtake you along the canal side as they do their stuff, in one instance a walker even overtakes us (but he was walking very fast!?). Life is very relaxed on the boats.

At the locks Braedy and Callie do all the hard work and today there are twelve to do.  Not always easy cranking up the gates to let in or out the water both girls are building up their muscles.

Driving one of those long, narrow things is a white knuckle affair, hurtling along at the breakneck speed of about 3 km/hr you have to judge perfectly the narrow bridges, tight turns or passing other boats, get it wrong and there are no brakes so it takes a long time to stop so it must have been a very disquieting minute for Caroline who was sitting at the front of the boat when it started to go wrong for Wally at the back – ended up looking at the brick work part of a bridge less than a metre away when the darned thing finally stopped.  After running aground a couple of times, gently nudging another boat and a couple of hairy moments trying to park it Wally reckons he is now sufficiently adept that he can apply to captain a supertanker.

Stopped near a pub for dinner, before a quiet night and then off to sleep.

In the morning got started late again, chugged about half a mile and then had to turn around for our return voyage.  Our induction training unfortunately did not involve how to turn a 50 foot long canal boat and a thorough stuff up ensued with the boat at 90 degrees to the canal and no room either front or back.  As boat traffic started to build up either side and an ever increasing number of spectators Wally got some very capable coaching from a woman in a nearby parked boat.  Finally corrected we set off again, somewhat less likely to get that supertanker job anymore.

Another peaceful meander down the canals before an overnight stop and a catch up with the letters and reading.

PS I must say that Wally has picked up this Canal boat driving very quickly but secretly I think he wishes it was a rally car but then he would not have had time to see the countryside of England cos he would have been going too fast and my knuckles would have been white!!

Girls have been amazing, no squabbles just out of the boat to the locks winding the thingies, while I watch or take photos or nearly missed getting back on the boat cos I was…. .. chatting to a fellow whose son lives in NSW, go figure?

Wally called the girls “Locksmiths” but they objected and said that I was the locksmith or would have been if I had not got married, very funny!!!!

The last full day on the boat was much the same as the others slowly travelling back down the canal, down the locks and greeting anyone else travelling on or watching the boats. Nothing ever seems the same despite doing the reverse trip, even at 3km/hr you have to be watchful of blind curves, very narrow bridges, on coming boats and when all three happen at once its hard over into reverse and hope the thing stops in time.  So far its been smiles all round and a cheerful wave, everyone is happy on the canals.  Truly a relaxing holiday (until you have to turn the boat around).