Learning How To Boat With Two Boats At Once (Part 1)

(Boats Chalice & Sickle - posted by Cath - additions by Alan)

Not off to the earliest start again, but we are getting up twice in the night to take Odin out.

Odin moored in Leighton Buzzard - learning about ducks

We are finding that travelling with two boats is taking longer than travelling with just one. Or, perhaps it's just pulling into the side every hour or so to let a puppy off to 'do your business'.

Sickle waved past Chalice

Three Locks - Odin practices 'Come!'

 

Sickle towing Chalice

Leaving Leighton Buzzard, we attempted to breast up the two boats briefly as we went through to Leighton Lock - slightly unnerving the first time, not least because baots wre still moored three wide along much of Wyvern Shipping.

















There were three C&RT volunteers at Three Locks, efficient and helpful.

We want Odin to be safe near locks, so Michael was walking him down the locks, practicing 'Sit', 'Wait', and 'Come'.






We decided to try towing Chalice with Sickle from Wolverton onwards to beyond the iron trunk aqueduct. Another new experience, using some quickly improvised "cross straps" - slightly unnerving at times, but we managed not to get into any difficulties.  Chalice's water tank was fairly full, so her front end is low enough in the water to reduce Sickle's efficiency - towing like this may be useful, but Sickle has to be worked a lot harder than if on her own.

Double rainbow - with inner reflections, and Alexander's dark band

Full moon rising through thin veil of clou

The weather was very changeable - raining quite heavily towards Wolverton, although we were treated to an amazing rainbow as we came across the iron trunk aqueduct.










However the weather cleared, and we lit a barbeque, eating our meal beneath the full moon.



Leighton Buzzard to Wolverton Trunk Aqueduct
Miles: 18.7 (Each boat), 37.4 (Combined), Locks: 6

Total Miles: 45.7, Locks:15