We pulled the pins (mooring stakes) at around 10:00am and left Bugbrooke on a dull windy day. The plan was to get to Gayton junction and stop for water and empty the loo cassette, We made good time and moored at the sanitary station in a strong wind – well done the captain, with everything sorted it was time to be on our way but then two boats caught in the wind and blocked Shell Bell’s path. With this minor drama sorted we were on our way. The next challenge was only a short distance away – the Blisworth tunnel at 3057 yards long it is the third longest tunnel open for navigation in Britain. All went well except for the minor collision with a boat coming the opposite direction whose captain blamed shell bell’s tunnel light for blinding him!!!!! As if??????
Blisworth tunnel captain is in the dark again
Once through the tunnel we had to negiotiate the seven locks at Stoke Bruerne. Being double locks two boats can go into together andwe teamed up with a family of eight on a 65 hireboat on holiday for the week, We had a pleasent trip down the locks with them in a mixture of sunshine and showers and of course the wind, We said farewell as they moored up for the day at the bottom lock we cruised on to Yardley Gobion and moored for the night with storm clouds looming.
waiting for the locks with our locking partners
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