Off at 8 this morning - unheard of for a Sunday! Within half an hour we were at Hillmorton locks which we ascended completely on our own. The pound between the middle and top locks was very low and the boat was touching bottom. How could this be after all the rain? Maybe someone had left a paddle up overnight.
A couple of miles further on we met a Black Prince boat on a tight bend by a bridge (as you do); in his efforts to avoid hitting us the guy ended up in a tree but extricated himself saying something like "well that didn't go too badly!" in a Geordie accent. As we continued Brian said "Do you know who that was? My namesake - Brian Johnson of AC/DC". My reply was on the lines of "On a hireboat - can't be". So we decided it was just a lookalike. But later on my BJ did some research on the net and found photos of the other BJ and his wife, who indeed looked like the woman with the "lookalike" on the boat. So now we think it was that Brian Johnson - or do we?
Eventually we reached Braunston, where we had a brief shopping stop, then turned down the Oxford/Grand Union (for this stretch is both canals at the same time), until we reached our favourite mooring spot. We did not tie up until Brian had checked we had a good TV signal! Then it was lunch, and Murray/Federer for the rest of the afternoon, which for a change was bright and sunny. Unfortunately not the result we wanted, but a great game nevertheless.
So now it's time for our last dinner aboard. And it's started raining again. Are we downhearted? No!
10 miles, 3 locks
Wildlife: Horseflies. Dozens of 'em. Anyone know what they're for?
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