And onto Northampton.

Up to 24^th April 2018.

Bottom blacked .. Batteries checked.. The Boat safety 2018 certificate issued, no problems.

General check over from our brilliant mechanic John Brady, we were ready to head off, back the way we came.

We have about 5 weeks to kill before we need to be back at Yelvertoft Marina for the wedding of our next door neighbours Gregg and Jane on the 24^th of May.

We planned to go past the turn at Norton junction and drop down to the Northampton arm and visit our old haunts in our home town, but we had just passed through the first lock at Long Buckby, because of the very heavy side wind decided to moor up for the night, actually it was no choice, the wind had pinned us to the bank. It was then we heard the news the Northampton arm was blocked....DOH !!!

There are 17 locks which drop you down to the River Nene in Northampton, all single width, the first 13 very close together. Jenny could walk between them, there are small cantilever bridges which allow farmers to get to the fields on the other banks. These are left in the open position to allow boats easy passage. However, according to the jungle drums, vandals had cut the chains on one of the bridges, causing it to fall into the canal and completely blocked it.

It seem we were again not going to get to the Northampton Arm..I wanted a plaque to fix onto our boat. We are collecting plaques of the places we are visiting so when we sell the boat and go into ‘the home for the bewildered’ we can place them on a board and remember where we travelled, hopefully.

Next morning, when we had eaten breakfast I did my usual check around on Face-book..checked our cousins in Australia and other places and then Narrowboat Users group. Brilliant site, where people on the cut can keep in touch, if there is a problem anywhere they are often quicker to get notification out to boaters than the authorities.

When CRT had done a survey on the damage, it transpired it wasn’t vandalism, it was rotten wood.. A crane was ordered and the canal opened again within 2 days.

We were on our way again.

The Whilton / Buckby flight are double width so two boats can breast up and travel down /up together. We waited at the top for the next boat to come through, both to conserve water and also energy. Two people to do the work on the lock paddles.

When the next boat arrived it was one of two...Oops. . they were sharing locks...oh dear.

When we took over the other place, the last boat was left behind...well the look he gave me !! I should have curled up and died.

Its horrible when it happens, but its all part of the canal life. Its happened to us more than once. The other boat was a family of four Mum, Dad and 2 kids they were lovely and it was a pleasure sharing part of our life with them albeit only an hour or so.

We dropped down to Nether Heyford past the old camp-site we used to caravan on before we bought the boat. A few years ago there was a program on the TV staring the motor bike racer Guy Martin. They ‘acquired’ a scrap narrow boat on its way to a scrap yard. Over the weeks of the program they repaired the vessel and cruised it to various places making things to add to her. The boat was called ‘Reckless’. The series was very good. After the program finished she was sold off for silly money (as it was famous! ??) It is now is moored at Roger’s place at Furnace Wharf.

Reckless

Stopping off at the services we turned onto the Northampton Arm. Full of water. Empty of rubbish and the toilets cassettes empty we were after an overnight outside Gayton Marina ready for a long next day of 17 locks….

Lock 1

It was a cloudy but warm day so it wasn’t too bad but...there was a gentle side wind. The cut here is notorious for a lack of water, when the water level is low it’s sometimes hard to steer. The sides have mud banks and when Jenny had to fill a lock, I had to hold the boat in the wind but it was blowing me into the bank. As the water levels went down in the pound it left me on a mud bar !! I had to reverse out more than once.

When we arrived at lock 6 we had a real surprise..The canal had disappeared completely !! (see photo’s).

It’s the first time we had come across this phenomenon, …..HELP !! we hadn’t a clue what to do. So ..on the mobile to Canal and River Trust they sent a man out.

Before he arrived another boat arrived behind us with a very abrupt lady on board (bordering on extremely rude!!) She knew what to do..looking back it was obvious what we needed do, walking back up the flight one paddle was lifted on all the other locks (front and rear) allowing water to pass down. With 15 minutes the pound was refilled ...whoop’s just as the man from CRT arrived. We apologised but he was very good about it. Next time we will know what to do. Canal learning curve !!

Somebody stole the canal

By the time we arrive in the mooring area in Northampton we had just about had enough!!

We had planned to moor in the marina in the centre of Northampton by Beckets park, as we had been told the area was a bit ‘iffie’ when we checked on availability and cost we thought the cost of £10.00 per night and £9.30 per day river licence we would risk staying where we were on the canal. The Northampton Canal ends at lock 17 and then goes on to be the River Nene which is run by another authority and requires a different licence.

We spent some of the money saved at the nearest pub...The Pomfret Arms..

Looks a scruffy run down place from the outside but inside was great.

A couple of well deserved pints went down lovely. Oldie world bar . . but big garden full of students in various states of dress (it was very hot) and different states of inebriation. Covered in studs and pink. . green. . . purple hair..but they were well behaved.

A great atmosphere.

Saturday morning we jumped on the bus and travelled to the town centre and walked back, down memory lane. How my home town had changed. Sadly not for the better.

Walking back we went to the mooring where my love of narrow boats started. The first lock by the side of Beckett’s Park on to the river was were it all started for me. ..as a child I would wait by the lock until a boat came though and offer too...’Hold your rope mister’ as they passed through.. . . The coal barges were off to the old power station, we would be given a couple of pennies or if it was a cabin cruiser..(the rich ones) we could get a tanner..6d great fun.

Where it all started nearly 60 years ago.

There used to be a boat house there in the 1960’s hiring out rowing boats on the river. . .

I would ‘help out’ there just to get rides on the little pleasure boat. It was a 12 to 16 seater and the lad who drove it. Tony... often would let me steer. Happy memories were brought back.

Carlsberg Brewery

A great Sunday morning when our granddaughter and her mum invited themselves for our famous ‘full English breakfast’ Quality time with the family ..before we made the return flight on Monday.

We had been warned of a local character who helps you through locks at the top of the flight. The only thing is if it is very hot ,,,He’s buck naked !! A friend who lives on a boat neer the turn onto the Northampton Arm described him ‘as mad as a box of frogs’ !!

He’s a down and out but harmless, he turned up halfway up the flight ..fully dressed ….it was a bit chilly.

Chatting with Jenny he asked to borrow a windlass (the handle we open/close locks with) he would do the double gate at the bottom of the lock Jenny would do the single lock and he’d get us to the top lock in 40 minutes. Told us his name was Leon. Possible mid forties bottle of White Lightning 2lts (half empty) in his hand…..off he went. Preparing the lock so I could just sail in. Instead of opening one gate and walking round to open the other, he leaned over then let go of the railing and leapt over... grabbing the opposing side rail as he went. Timed to perfection. As promised we went up like a rocket...saved us time and Jenny a lot of energy. At the top we told him to keep the windlass as we had a few and I slipped him a fiver.

He looked really grateful. He’ s lived rough for years a local farmer allowed him to live on his land until his daughter took over the farm and evicted him. Now lives in a squat in a local town with junkies and alcoholics. So sad he came over as a lovely guy..

As we were leaving he said to us he would buy food today..

Our helper

Now handing over to picture and editor for completion…. bye bye for now ..

And finally just a short video of the journey......