After negotiating the Hillmorton locks and passed Rugby Boats, we came accross idiocy - but it took a while to dawn on us what was going on; only a hint. when a boater said somebody had broken down in the winding hole. How unfortunate.
Unfortunate indeed! But did this water pikie call the RCR? Oh no! Anyway, given the state of his boat, RCR membership was probably to price of a years worth of diesel - well some good Samaritan took the boat in tow apparently.
So, the boat in front of us and all those who were behind us were reduced to crawl the rest of the way to Braunston at tickover and less, when the idiots lost control of the towing process. All I have to say is that consideration and help for those in need on the Cut is paramount; but selfish fortitude at the expense of others can only be treated with the contempt with which it deserves.
The Cut is a shared resource, and so on . . . .
It would have been a simple gesture, and a sharing one to allow others enjoyment of the beautiful spring weather without getting sun burnt while trying to keep a boat in steerage way at half a mile an hour!
And so it came to pass that we were the leading vessel of a long and slow convoy arriving at Braunston, surprised that we hadn't been torpedoed by the kayaks and a rubber inflatable that was keeping up the slow pace in the the junction. So we took the first available short term berth available to us, which was opposite the 'Old Mill'. There were moorings further on past Gallows Bridge, but we didn't want to spend an extra hour getting there.
Beaurepaire fronted up mid-afternoon and David complained that he'd had a very slow trip, owing to the fact that the 'silly berk' in front of him couldn't find more revs than tickover!! More angry boaters filtered around the bend at the junction and it became obvious that everyone was blaming the only culprit they could see - the boat in front!Meanwhile those responsible had crept on ahead, while all the chaos settled down behind - never did get to see the names on the boats.
This however, is not the spirit of boating and the rest of Sunday was glorious.
After all the
mooring up and tidying away was done a lot of laughs were had with the crew of Beaurepaire and others who were looking for moorings or sorting out dog walks and visits to the pub.One of the boats passing us had indeed five dogs aboard and Audrone attempted to picture their enthusiastic greetings as they clambered over each ot
her to gain attention from the fo'rard gunwale of their boat. The issue was that any number would appear at once and then clamber over each other and disappear. Did five ever appear together? Mayhap, but not on camera. It was susggested that calling 'Charlie' would work. It did! Charlies scrambled up and nearly over the gunwale in tumbled mayhem - but never five faces at once!Moored up opposite the Old Mill, we thought that apart from having to listen to pub crowds all afternoon and night, we were also in the limelight of gongoozelers (which we were). However the scene was in fact relatively quiet and we took our turn to become 'auto gongoozelers', as David, Geoff and I looked over our boats from the pub.
A bit of a jokey session was had by all that night, both in the pub and in the boats; next morning saw a (somewhat late) farewell to Beaurepaire) as all members had various and eclectic duties to perform further north the the Oxford.
I leave you with some of the interesting antics that Beaurepaire executed in order to avoid travelling for five minutes up the Grand Union to wind. I took myself elsewhere while this was happening, because I knew how busy that junction can be at any time. Besides, I wouldn't, or couldn't have been able to help myself waxing lyrical on the subject of bow-thrusters.
. . . . . . Er well, the pictures tomorrow - and the corrections.
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