We set off this morning under warm but overcast skies. At the first lock there were 2 fisherman fishing at the locking bollards, as we got alongside them Dot told them in no uncertain terms that fishing was not allowed there. Believe it or not but they moved so that we could use the bollards.
The first 3 locks we did solo but then Mike and Denise aboard Narrowboat Densie caught us up and we paired up for the rest of the day. It certainly made life a lot easier with 2 boats in the double locks. As we passed through Marsworth junction with the Aylesbury Arm a fisherman was just weighing a carp that he had caught which we saw as he returned it to the canal. About a 10 pounder from what I could hear at a distance.
When we moored up for the day Denise invited us back to their boat for a coffee which we gladly accepted. I had a feeling that we had crossed path's with these guys before and sure enough over coffee it turned out that they were about 2 days behind us on the K & A so we had seen them previously.
I feel I should comment on their boat which is an Aqualine 'Manhattan'. These are the boats made in Poland and the workmanship, especially the wood work was absolutely beautiful. The whole finish was very pleasing to the eye, even the electrical cupboard would be an example to every boat builder on the cut. Our electrical cupboard is spaghetti junction compared to the Aqualine. The only complaint Mike had was that it was hard to check the batteries, they really needed a hatch above them.
This evening I was on the stern deck as usual for a bit of fishing and the carp were all over the place, even within a few feet of the boat feeding on what ever was floating on the surface. There were a couple the would have been 20 pounder's but none of them could be tempted to take my bait. Its the old story, you can never catch what you can see.
Total of 646 locks, 848 miles, 25 Tunnels, 38 swing bridges and 19 lift bridges since Nov 2006
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