Cowroast, Berkhamsted, Winkwell, Hemel Hempstead and Apsley

Apologies for the interrupted service which is due to Susan having watched 3 X-factor music videos last Saturday.  No TV signal was her excuse!!!  She could not believe how many megabytes they ate up..........  Susan and Pete have been into Hemel Hempstead to try and buy more megabytes.  No luck!!!  They have now purchased a MiFi (mobile WiFi).  Don't ask me what it is but, hopefully, we will have an uninterrupted service from now on.......  I don't like not being able to chat to you and let you know what I have been up to....  So here goes...

Saturday, 24 November 2012

Yet another grey drizzly day.  Pete and Susan try out their new thermal waterproof gloves and fleeces.

Nr. Boxmoor Lock - Hemel Hempstead

After completing Boxmoor lock, Hemel Hempstead, the towpath is obstructed by a fallen tree.  Susan and Mazey get back on.  More locks completed without too much trouble.  We arrive in Apsley which is a popular place to moor as there is a marina here.  We find a mooring.  Susan goes shopping to Sainsburys which is a few minutes walk from here over the bridge.

Susan gets the mobile wi-fi sorted whilst Pete watches the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Total 1 mile, 3 locks

Friday, 23 November 2012

As we leave Winkwell mooring, Susan and Mazey head off and prepare the swing bridge.  A British Waterways key is required.  The barriers come down and this stops the cars going across.  Then the bridge swings out of the way.  Whilst this is happening a goose decides to check Susan out and crosses the road.

Winkwell Bridge

Penalty

Susan makes sure that the bridge is closed correctly and she does not want to pay a penalty...

Once through, we get pump-out at the boat yard - Middx & Herts Boat Services.   Susan and Mazey then prepare the next lock.  All goes well until they have to open the bottom lock.  No hope!!  Pete has to climb out of the boat by jumping onto the top and then hoisting himself up onto the towpath and help push it open.  It takes ages.  Susan resorts to the giggles as she keeps slipping in the mud.  After a lot of swearing and pushing the gate finally opens.

At the next lock, Susan pulls out a wooden pallet.....  This lock takes even longer to open.  Again Pete helps.  The lock after this takes even longer and Susan and Pete realise they are wasting their time as well as hurting their backs through sheer effort.  It has taken 2 hours to do 1 mile and 3 locks.  No other boats have moved in either direction today.  They decide to moor up prior to Boxmoor Lock near Hemel Hempstead shopping centre which is a 10 minute walk across the cricket pitch.  Susan and Pete go shopping and agree to stay for the evening.

Total 1 miles, 3 locks

Thursday, 22 November 2012

A grey, breezy day.  Weather warnings!!!  Pete is recovering from a night out with pals in London.  Susan went to the Rex cinema in Berkhamsted to see Anna Karenina.  The Rex is a privately owned art-deco refurbished cinema.  Susan said it was an amazing experience sitting in plush red velvet seats.  Mostly full of groups of women drinking wine.....   Downstairs there is a seating area with tables so that guests can sit in groups and drink whilst watching the film.....  

Pete's ex-work colleague and friend Peter joins us in Berkhamsted today.  He puts his bike on top and then we set off in the rain.

After two locks they fill me up with water again.  Susan shops in the garage and gets pre-made sandwiches, and basic provisions for lunch.

Pete and Pete at water point

Mazey and Susan walk and prepare a few locks whilst the two Peters finish the locks.  The lock gates are really heavy due to strong water pressure.  After the third lock the weather brightens.

We moor near Winkwell Spring Bridge.  The humans decide to go and have a quick pint at the Three Horseshoes Pub.  This pub pre-dates the canal by 3 centuries.....  and allegedly has not one but two resident ghosts in the bar we sat in.......   Thank you Peter for your help.

Three Horseshoes - Quick pint

Winkwell Spring Bridge No 147

Winkwell Moorings

Getting very windy late in the day and lots of rain!!


Total 2 miles and 7 locks



Monday, 19 November 2012

A very cold morning - brrrrrrr.  Pete takes me into Cowroast Marina for pump-out which takes a lot of manoeuvring in the wind.  Another boater in the marina informs us that it is closed on a Monday!!!  Decide to continue on to Berkhamsted and get pump-out from Middx & Herts Boat Services in a few days.  On exiting the marina a fuel boat, Phil, arrives just  behind us.  We share the locks with them into Berkhamsted.  Phil's father-in-law helps Susan and Mazey prepare the locks whilst Phil and Pete chat....  Two swans decide to escort us into Cowroast Lock..  Susan frantically tries to discourage them... Do they have a passport!!!

Swan Patrol

Susan is a bit fed up as the fuel boat is 70 feet long and Pete keeps bumping me into it......  There are a number of Canal and River Trust helpers along this stretch of canal.  There is a problem with some of the locks due to lack of water in the pounds below the locks - believe it or not!!  They are trying to allow water to flow from Tring Summit to the lower levels.

Cowroast Lock - Fuel boat

Fuel boat exiting lock

The fuel boat is heavy and has a deep stern - so keeps dragging on the bottom and gets stuck at Bushes lock.  The Northchurch lock pump is broken, so the helpers are opening the bottom paddles to encourage water to flow down the locks.

On the way Susan spots a donkey - she is very excited about it!!

Donkey

We meet another lady boater travelling in the opposite direction to us who has decided to leave Berkhamsted as she does not like tilting at an angle......

Once we arrive in "Berko" (Berkhamsted), I get more water again but not before we are attacked by a Weeping Willow tree.......  Pete fights back... Susan decides to go and get food shopping in Waitrose over the bridge and leaves us to it....

Willow attack

Water point

Totem pole in Berkhamsted

Once the shopping is done and water levels are full, we find a mooring prior to Raven's Lock and Susan keeps her fingers and toes crossed for days that the water levels stay OK.

Raven's Gate - Mooring

Total 2.5 miles, 8 locks


Sunday, 18th November 2012

A beautiful, bright, sunny, frosty morning.  Fisherman are already set up for the day around the corner to our mooring.  Everyone up early.  We leave the Wendover basin and head to Cowroast.

After filling me up with water, we arrive nr. Cowroast Lock at 12:30.

There are lots of rowers out today with their coaches on bikes shouting out instructions and encouragement.

Rowers

Cowroast mooring

A pair of swans visit us late at night and peck the plankton off the side of me.  A quick clean-up service - thanks.

Total 4 miles, 0 locks, slow going due to silt along the canal.