A day of two halves.

With Ali away for the house viewing, (do not ask!) I decided to get an early start.  So up at six, before many a sparrow had broken wind, untied and away before seven.  It was a dull morning, but dry and with very little wind.  I quite like passing moored boats ever so quietly with the engine burbling away.

I had anticipated that this stretch may be busy with boats heading for Crick show, but I was wrong. In the distance between Welford junction to Yelvertoft, I never saw another boat moving! At ten o clock I had arrived at the point Ali and I had agreed to meet. This was between bridges 20 and 21. There are good moorings there and it is next to the road. Yet again Paul came to the rescue and was to collect Ali after she dropped the car off and bring her to the boat.

A14 - now where would I rather be?

I had a visit from a local PCSO who is patrolling the bank in the Yelvertoft area. He stated that a boat was broken into near bridge 19 recently and foodstuffs consumed. He is asking us all to be aware and keep our eyes peeled. He seemed to think the suspect is a white male in his 50's. He does not believe the miscreant to be a fellow boater, and the age seems to rule out Mr Finch in his opinion.

Well they were nice moorings, except for the boat moored in front of me which ran its generator ALL DAY. The noise was bad enough, but the fumes were unbearable. So when Ali rang to say she would be arriving at 4.30 pm, I suggested we move and arranged to meet at the water point near bridge 19. I set off on tickover past the visitor and long term moorings and arrived at the water point were Ali was waiting. We began to moor up on the services when a boat travelling from Crick appeared under the bridge.  The bow wave should have given us fair warning and he did not slow down as he passed us, or the other moored boats.  We had to hold on for dear life.  Anyway, started filling with water when a chap and I take it his partner walked from the village. They stood for a moment or two peering up the canal, then as they approached the gent asked if we knew about the boat slewed across the canal in the far distance.  I did not see this and explained about the speeding boat that had passed but was now out of sight. Still think he thought we were responsible..... I am going to note offending boat names in future.

Anyway, after watering, we decided to crack on past Crick and after passing through the tunnel we are now moored in a lovely spot just short of the top of Watford locks. The burble of the M1 is audible, but not too intrusive.

Crick Marina preparing for the show this weekend

& boats starting to arrive

If this was one family she has a lot of duckling!

Blinded by the light! and it got worse the closer it came!

Despite all the times we have travelled this area, It remains one of my favourites.

Welford - Yelvertoft - Watford - 12 miles, Crick tunnel - 1529 yards