A sunny start

Sun shining as we set off this morning but then it got wet quite suddenly.

Why? We went through Crick Tunnel. It was wet coming up and it's wet going down. 

There was just time for the Captain to make a cuppa before we got to the locks. A brief wait for two boats to come up and then we were on our way.

Here's the Captain talking to the lockie. She remembered us from the previous time through.

These gates are big.

Nearly done. And all through after 36 minutes. Not bad. 

We motored on having lunch on the way. After we made the turn at Norton Junction it first started to rain, followed by hail. Come on, it's April! I ask you, hail? 

Luckily, and I don't usually say this, we entered Braunston Tunnel. Now I don't like this particular tunnel because it has a kink in the middle. But this time I welcomed hiding from the inclement weather. 

We made our way down the Braunston locks (on our own) with only one boat coming up and volunteers helping out on one lock. And we had the accompianment of thunder at the bottom lock. A passing boater asked where summer had gone. 

Down the bottom all the towpaths were waterlogged and muddy but we found a reasonable place to stop for the night.

Smoked haddock and cauliflower cheese for supper, fire alight again and everything drying out in the engine room. Watched Lewis on catch-up and had an enjoyable, cosy evening all tucked up and snug.