Got up and wiped the ice from the windows, not a good sign. Managed to boil a kettle and have some toast as we were still hooked up. After walking the dogs and waiting for the marina office to open. We told the office of our problem with the heating, as no maintenance staff work on weekends, we found that there was no-one there to help us. The office chap said it may be fuel starvation - this made sense!.
My husband and I had never had a narrow boat before, although we have had cruisers. We had begun to realise that taken a course in handling might have been a good idea. The marina was full of boats for winter storage and we need to fill both ends of the boat with diesel, one tank for the heating and the other for the engine. Turning a 54ft boat might be easy for some, but not an easy thing to do, with no instruction and really feeling under pressure. I have to say my husband was great and although it seemed to take an age, he got it done and I was very proud of him.
The initial part of the journey was fine. I made myself busy in the galley, making myself familiar with everything. I even got the cooker and the stove working and thought that was the end of our heating problems. When the cooker reached the right temperature, I cooked some bacon and sausages for sandwiches and put some sausage rolls in the oven. A hot meal always makes the going a little easier.
We had arranged for my uncle to meet us on route. This way he could run one of us back to the marina to pick our car up. The reason behind this was that come Monday we would still need to get to work from wherever we were. Uncle John met us at Rothersthorpe Top Lock, where he left his car.
Like the inexperienced idiots that we were, we decided to attempt the next 13 locks. We started at 2.30pm and finished when it was dark. We will never again attempt to do anything so stupid, I have never been so tired and exhausted and so scared. We certainly learnt some very valuable lessons this afternoon. The very first lock we went through we nearly got the back end caught on the lock gate. If it wasn't for my husbands quick action, we would have lost our new home after only going 11 miles. We had to shut the front paddles - fast and at the same time open the paddles behind us to let water through to get enough water to move the boat forward. I was so scared, the boat was visibly caught on the locks and we thought permanent damage had been done - IN THE VERY FIRST LOCK. Lesson one - keep the rear of the boat away from the lock gates.
The next few locks went quite well and then we got complacent, my uncle and mother started to open the paddles before I had shut the gate behind the boat. My husband was screaming at them to closed the paddles, it happened so quickly. Luckily my gate was past half way, but the surge of water ripped the gate away from me and slammed shut, at the same time a tidal wave of water came from no-where and slammed into the gate and some going over the top, just missing my husband on the tiller. There were a few choice words, about taking notice of what others were doing and concentrating on what you are supposed to be doing. As I said later - this is not a holiday on some tatty hire boat - this is my home!!! Lesson two - do not open paddles until you checked it is O.K. to do so.
By the time we had finished 13 locks, we were all absolutely exhausted. Our second night was spent moored up just after bridge 7 on the Grand Union (Northampton Branch). We had no hot food as we still couldn't light the cooker, but we did have a few beers. Uncle John ended up staying to night on the sofa with the dogs for company. Husband John and I had an early night, we were too cold and too tired for anything else.
I have got to admit - the beautiful dream of this idyllic lifestyle, cruising through the country, mooring up in beautiful surrounding and cosying up was not coming true. I even thought at this stage - what have I done? - is this what I really want?
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