Norton Junction, Leicester Arm – Friday 25 May 2012
An early start, I left the mooring at 08:15, only because I was wide awake.  On the non-towpath side of the canal was a converted lifeboat, they don’t look big enough for the sixty people they are meant to carry.  As I was passing the Stowe Hill Workshop I noticed another Braidbar, a quick ask and I tied up alongside “Blue Mist” in order to take a picture, it was number 66 “Loie Fuller” and was up for sale (the yard staff thought I wanted to buy her).  At 11:00 I reached my scheduled stop at bridge 18 having covered 4 miles.  There is a sign on the bridge for boaters to get provisions at the local shopping village, so I went off to have a look.  The signs are misleading!  Yes there are 20 retail outlets – for example a florist, restaurant, toy shop, garden furniture and antiques (which would not be out of place in London) and even a Brides Boutique!.  The provisions were not a supermarket or village shop, it was similar to Fortnum & Mason or Harrods specialist food departments.  Nice browsing but no sales.  As it felt early I decided to go for the Buckby lock flight (7 locks raising 63 feet).  I hung around in the hope that another boat could share the locks but no joy.  At the bottom one there was a canoeist who asked if he could have a lift rather than him carry his gear up, I said yes, and we covered the solar panel with a towel and protective matting and set off – then I noticed a holiday boat coming up, so we waited in Lock 12.  This meant that I stayed on the boat and the others did the work.  At lock 8 we met a CRT (BW) temporary lock-keeper who was just securing the gates for the day.  We told him there was another pair behind us and he agreed that we could all go through, rather than be held between locks 8 and 7 for the night.  I have moored for the weekend just on the Leicester Arm and have about 5 miles and the Watford flight (7 locks) to do.  Another superb day – I have now turned nicely pink (lobster colour) just like being at a Mediteranean resort.