Inconsiderate boaters.

10 Miles, 9 Locks. Now moored below Napton Bottom Lock

The day started wet so we sat it out until 10am when the rain cleared. We had been watching the boats using the water point which was just ahead of us. Most boats were there for 10 – 15 minutes and then on their way. About 9am a boat which had already gone past us returned and pulled onto the water point. He proceeded to fill his water tank and then disappeared inside presumably to stay out of the rain. After 10 or so minutes his overflow pipe started to run but did he come out, oh no. When he did reappear several boats had already got fed up waiting and carried on. What happened next, he decided to wash his boat. We thought “Ah well,when the rain stops we will move up to the water point and fill up”. By 10 am matey was still washing his boat, so we thought that we would just go and get water later as there was another boat now waiting his turn on the tap. As I passed the boat washer I told him in no uncertain terms that I couldn’t wait all day for him to which he replied I’ll only be 5 minutes. I replied that he had already been there an hour. With that I left.

Our first sign of autumn, a Horse Chestnut tree. No sign of disease here.

We finally got water at Marston Doles lock where there was already a queue for the lock. It was all one way traffic unfortunately.  Going down through the Napton 9 locks we did meet a couple of boats travelling the opposite way which helped a bit. However we did meet up with Inconsiderate boater No2. At every lock he never did the same thing twice, roping the boat in, driving the boat in, and the same upon exiting the lock, sometimes helping his wife and sometimes just yelling orders at her. We could have done 2 locks to his one, he was just hopeless. Eventually we hung back in one lock for an oncoming boat and just let him get well out of our way.

The windmill on the hill at Napton in the distance.

By the time we reached the bottom lock we decided we had done enough for one day and pulled onto the first available mooring.

A solitary Water Buffalo near Napton. The main herd were in the field next door.

A total of 20.39 Miles, and 21 Locks on Granny Buttons.