Friday March 30th - High House Wharf to Norton Junction

At last we're off!

It's seemed to have been a longer winter than usual, perhaps because we had an itty-bitty year in cruising terms in 2011 with family and other events making a stop-start year with frequent changes of plan, and we also returned to our mooring earlier than normal.

So, typically, as soon as the hot, sunny weather has departed to be replaced by cooler and cloudier skies we set off. It seems to take an age to get past the endless lines of moored boats that characterise this section of the Grand Union - it's not until you are past Dodford that they thin out and you cna get finally get a little more speed on.

Despite being the Friday before the start of the Easter holidays we saw just two boats on the move between High House and the bottom of Buckby. We were prepared to have to wait for up to an hour to start up the locks, more so as two boats had just gone up ahead of us, and the remaining boat decided to reverse back into Whilton Marina having discovered a water leak.

Nevertheless, as the two boats ascending had swapped places with two boats descending, 'Dawn Mist' had joined us and we entered the bottom lock. We had heard dire tales of volunteer lock-keepers here, and at Braunston which we will encounter tomorrow, but nary a sign of one.

We had a good run up the flight with several pairs coming down which meant we were able to keep top gates open, although there were two singles ones in the procession who had clearly disregarded the exhortations to share locks and save water. One of these was a tiddler of about 20' - what a waste of 50,000+ of water!

Whilst water levels are generally down, two ponds in particular were extremely low - the pound immediately above the bottom lock and the one below Anchor Cottage Lock where we scraped over some large objects on the bottom.

Finally at the top we saw the lock-keeper who was preparing to the padlocks on to stop any boats entering the flight after 1.30pm - contrary to local rumour he was extremely pleasant.

'Dawn Mist' left us at Norton Junction as they were making their way back to Welton Haven (where we used to moor). We passed under the junction bridge and tied up just beyond with a lovely view across to the Leicester Arm's embankment.

Turns out that we have moored just in front of Geoff & Ann on 'Shannon' who we know from Northampton IWA and Spread Eagle Cruising Club and they came round in the afternoon for a cuppa and a natter.