We're off...

Woke up early and after showering and breakfast the engine was started and we backed out of the mooring and headed through the marina.

We joined the Grand Union Canal and passed the narrow boat 'Zodiac'.

Zodiac is on of 8 pairs of 'Middle Northwich' narrow boats built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company.  I believe this is the correct 'Zodiac' as the 'Zodiac' I knew from the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal is thought to actually be 'Tucana'.  After 6 or 7 years, 4 of the motor boats were cut down to 40 feet long for conversion into ice-breakers by the Ministry of War Transport and featured a rather menacing ice-breaking 'ram'.  'Tycho' is the only one to retain its ram and was moored at the bottom of Braunston locks a couple of days previous.

Moored up the canal from 'Zodiac' were the pair 'Nutfield' and 'Raymond.

We needed to get diesel and the plan was to back into the marina entrance and tie up alongside the diesel pump.  It crossed my mind to go in forwards as I thought it would be easier but as Becky wasn't aware of my change of mind I figured I best back-in.  Good job I did really as the diesel hose would not have reached the filler!

After filling up with 53 litres we were ready to head on our way.

Backing into the marina.

We turned left out of the marina and headed up the Grand Union and then onto the northern section of the Oxford Canal.  I'd done this route before back in 2008.

After a couple of hours we reached Hillmorton Locks.  There are 6 locks at Hillmorton arranged in 3 pairs so you can use whichever of the pair you want.  At the top lock we were told not to use the right hand lock as a boat before us had caught on a piece of brickwork and had tipped up rather violently.  This meant we had to wait for the left hand lock to fill.  As we entered the lock, the replica working boat 'Hadar' came round the bend and entered the other lock.  As Becky hadn't seen one for a year, the lady on 'Hadar' was quicker in operating the lock and they were able to get ahead of us.  This wasn't a problem as we were in no rush.

We followed 'Hadar' all the way to Newbold-on-Avon where we moored up on the end of the visitors moorings at 1411.  Just afterwards a boat came past very quickly and its wash managed to pull our mooring pin out of the ground (the stern rope was on a ring).  Another 3 boats had to re-do their mooring pins also.

After walking to Newbold Tunnel we walked into the village and to the Co-op to buy a few supplies.

Tea for the evening was Chicken en Croute with Kale and New Potatoes.

Total for the day: 11 Miles, 6 1/4 Furlongs, 3 Locks.