Bartimaeus

The best weather day this week is predicted to be Wednesday so I thought we were planning a load of washing, but Shane didn't want washing in the way of an alternative good weather activity, so we put it on this morning, with the plan to drive along charging the batteries while it was on. 

I cast off the front, taking care not to step in the dog muck in the towpath. I had the misfortune a few days ago to not see such a hazard and stepped on it as we were mooring up, requiring shoe cleaning, washing down of the bow locker lid on the grass, a bow deck scrub and a change of footwear. 

We hadn't gone far this morning and I was considering if I needed a coat, when Shane announced there was a lock coming. I probably didn't need a coat if working a lock but I would need to change out of my slippers. I told Shane I would nip to change shoes to do the lock, to which he replied that I could drive in stead. The sun was out so I thought that would work and he leapt off as I grabbed the tiller. I didnt realise that there were half a dozen locks ahead. It wasn't long before Shane was down to his T shirt.

These locks had two gates at the bottom end. I won't cross when half open, Shane often does. No doubt he finds it frustrating to watch me walking all the way round when he could manage the cross in a single step. It looked awkward turning round as he stepped on the first gate. He had tucked the windlass in the belt loops at the back of his trousers to free up his hands, but it still looked like it could catch or clang on the gate rail to me.

I watch closely in case anything goes awry, though I would soon know if it had. They aren't all the same and there are some that scare him too. Tucking away the windlass suggested to me he felt more secure crossing with empty hands. 

He had chosen the lighter. aluminium windlass and it has a shorter handle than the gowindlass. It probably hangs more balanced and is less slippy and swingy altogether. I was using the gowindlass to hop off and close a paddle just as I drove in. The locks were not in our favour, so he ran ahead to try to get the next one ready.

The lighter windlass would be a benefit when running I am sure. The trees were golden and while the sun was out I was fine without a coat and he seemed to be enjoying himself and the locks were going past quickly. 

He continued to step across. It was too wide to reach the other gate without releasing from the previous one, so more of a leap than a step.

But then the sun went in. Even so, a fisherman I passed greeted me warmly, saying what a nice day it was to be out. I managed to reach in and get my coat on as it cooled down rapidly, if standing still. I was well distracted at the gnome garden lock, looking at the flowers, ornaments and post box shaped birdhouse on the cottage. Plus a mop, broom and cloth. Spotless in and out I am guessing.

I was reminded of a woman who was a cleaner in our school. She was so house proud her house was immaculate and the only untidy thing was that her mop or brush were always out to hand! 

At the exit of the lock there was an attractive bridge and escalonia spreading over the arch. I wonder if the lock cottage owner had taken her gardening duties a step further and trained it over there as most only have ivy or brambles on them.

 I hoped to get a closer picture of the windlass position by turning round as I drove out but getting the timing is hard as he'd had often already crossed by the time I looked back. This time I turned in time but he had left the windlass on the gate when crossing so I missed that detail anyway. 

There was a longer gap between the last locks. We had one boat behind us on the other locks, a hire boat with a larger crew, but they weren't catching up - all the locks would be set against them. They might have been stopping to pick up crew in the longer gaps. While Shane stayed off the boat and got a head start on the locks. I saw another boat and it was a narrow pass. It was moored up but in a narrow bit with rushes. There was no more room than through the five deep boats moored at the boatyard.

I mentioned to Shane at the last lock that I had missed a photo opportunity when he hadn't carried the windlass across. He had been winding them down using his hands on the bar, rather than using the windlass, another manoeuvre I never choose to do. This ain't always possible, but a lot of seasoned boaters do it - it's still technically "wound down not dropped" as the signs sometimes instruct. They shouldn't be allowed to just fall down, but controlling them without the windlass isn't beyond the pale.

Shane informed me I had missed my chance to get any more such pictures. Until the gates opened I hadn't seen that this last lock had a bridge so he didn't need to step across the gates any more. 

He still had one last wide step to go. He handed me the windlass before closing the gates, while I was driving out and told me to pick him up at the steps. There were steps down at the exit of the lock, but as I had seen before the wall curves away and it isn't all that close to the boat exiting. Shane chose to step on to the gunwale, as I had done, even as I was trying to turn and bring the back closer. It was a shorter step than he had done at all the others though.