After Saturday's heavy rain, as Jon Munk put it "there will be no shortage of water under your keel". Indeed there wasn't.
The River Tove, which flows under (via a syphon) and into (via weirs) the Grand Union, was in full spate.Most of the fields alongside the river itself were flooded and the side discharge weirs along the canal were all open. Most of the canal between Yardley Gobion and Stoke Bruerne Bottom Lock had a significant flow. It was very much like navigating the upper sections of the Llangollen, particularly going through bridge holes. The section leading to Stoke Bruerne bottom lock was really interesting. We had to go at some speed to get through the inflow.
River Tove in spate
We waited in the bottom lock for a hire boat to turn around using one of the quieter sections of the river, but unfortunately we had to give up when we realised that it would be touch and go if they made it all. NB Bird on a Wire were moored up and they offered advice.
The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful except for an idiot in Blisworth Tunnel who thought the best way to pass in the tunnel was to stop! He didn't appear to realise that you lose steerage when there is no flow across the rudder. He also thought it was funny when his bow swung out and clunked Albert's newly painted hull. He added insult to injury by photographing the event. Still as they say - boating is a contact sport. It would be nice if there was only occasionally slight contact.
Albert with a plain fore-end
Albert is now safely inside the wet dock at High House Wharf. She should reappear at the weekend.
