This was excellent timing for us all – he could leave the gates open, and I didn’t have to open them. As Clare and Bartimaeus were rising in the lock, I looked ahead to see what the story was at the next one. Another boat was coming towards us, so once I’d opened the head gate I was able to walk on. As I arrived, the woman working the tail gates at this lock was deploying the handy gate prop provided by the local canal society. It comes complete with instructions!