Slow, Slow No Quick Quick, Just Bloody Slow

The day started off lovely! We were facing in the wrong direction so we went a little distance to the entrance of Braunston marine where we executed a hand brake bow-thruster assisted turn to the applause of the diners at the gongoozlers cafe!  We then stopped for a fill and dump whilst also having a nice chat to a blog reader, Elaine.  Elaine and her husband, Chris own a Dutch barge style narrowboat plus live in one of the houses on Braunston marina ... nice!

Weather wise it was quite sunny but I had to wear the ski jacket as I was feeling the cold, it must have been the wind rushing past at 3 MPH

These two Willow Wren hire boats passed us at Braunston and then pulled over for lunch.  The first boat contained the seven wives and the second boat contained the seven husbands...good eh?!


We were making really good time following a convoy of four boats, but by the time we reached Hillmorton Locks we were on our own.  We fair shot through the locks with them all in our favour but as we came out of the last lock a boat was in the process of winding, so I hung back and let them get on with it, which was a big mistake ... I should have just barged through!

For the next 2 years we sat behind the slowest boat on the cut.  I have no probs with going slow, it's what life on the cut is all about, but if a boat comes up behind me I always pull over and let them through ... but not this selfish twat - it was idle speed all the way.  Here they are in front of us......

..... you couldn't  get a fag paper between our boats!  I got so close to ramming them out of the way, they kept looking behind but just didn't get the hint.  When Lesley and Joe had Caxton built, they spared no expense on all the good gear and options, so why oh why didn't they go for the forward facing torpedo option?!  You can see the Sun headline now "Gotcha!  Slowest narrowboat on the cut taken out by battleship Caxton!"

We went into the Newbold tunnel with inches between us so I turned on the headlamp hoping that it would act as a death ray and melt them.  Unfortunately it was only a 80 watt bulb ... once again, why didn't they they go for the 12,000,000 watt option?!

Finally, she indicated that they were turning into Brinklow Marina.  Hallelujah and praise the lord we cried.  I clapped and cheered very loudly, she turned around and smiled!

Simply Red it was called - they would have been Simply dead if would have had my way. 

We then resumed cruising at the normal 1500rpm ... that is all we wanted to do!

We cracked open a bottle of wine as I desperately needed a drink.  It's hard work driving a boat in the slipstream of the one in front for a couple of hours.

We called it quits at Stretton stop after another 16 mile day.

There were two of these doggies were on a boat opposite us.

The chap walked past us later in the evening and we had a chat and stroke of the dogs,  His Mrs followed 10 minutes later in a JCB in case one of them had a crap!

Here we are moored up right next to the high speed Virgins, I have missed them the last couple of months.