Cuttle Bridge 25, Grand Union – Friday 22 June 2012
You may not want to know this but yesterday was the Summer Solstice and from now on the days get shorter!  Started at 09:00 and was at the top lock holding on to the centre line waiting for a pair of commercial boats to go through – on their way to Braunston for the Historic Boat Rally this weekend.  Helpful as always they left the towpath side gate closed “cos we’re boarding on this side”.  This would mean I had to tie up then go and open the gate on my side, walk back then haul into the lock.  However a nice dog walker opened the gate and as I was moving in said there was another boat coming.  It turned out to be a Braidbar “Bessie Surtees” with Barbara & Phil on board.  At nearly every lock we met boats coming up, and Barbara was doing the gates and paddles so it was much quicker than I had anticipated.  I moored up just before Bridge 25 and walked up to Long Itchington for bread, milk and a newspaper.  The village needs a call from the National Flag Executive (a new QANGO for the government to set up?), it bugs me, especially in this jubilee year, that if people are going to dig the flag out of the “dressing-up box” in the attic they then don’t take the bother to fly it properly – only one of about a dozen was being flown the correct way up!  Of course while I was cruising it was raining and as soon as I’m moored the sun came out although the wind is very gusty though.
At about 18:00 there was a bit of a commotion – it sounded like pirates so I went out to see.  From the French flags being flown it appeared that the French Navy was in port, a crew of eight all dressed in blue/white striped jerseys with red berets were attempting to moor a narrowboat.  Their training was straight out of a silent film.  First thing is to do is come alongside so the cameraman can jump off and get into position, then you aim for a gap between residential boats on the non-towpath side of the canal, get caught by the wind and blown across blocking the canal.  This is followed by the steerer trying to control the boat while the rest all try to do their own thing.  The owner of one of the residential boats they were aiming for was obviously very concerned, they came out with a boat pole to fend them off.  I was concerned that when they were in reverse they would go into me.  Eventually they got a bit of control and managed to get back across the canal having decided to moor on the towpath side.  The ropes were wrapped round the bollards outside the ‘Two Boats’ pub and coiled back on the boat – not tied on!  I went to ask if they needed help and advised that they tied up to the rings set in the towpath, and also showed how to take the ropes back on board before tying off.  Chatting it turned out that it was a multinational crew (American and European) the Boss they worked for was returning to France and this was his farewell party – he was dressed as Napoleon, but in character admitted that he did not like the sea so was staying on the English canals as he was an artillery officer.  In spite of their chaotic arrival there were no disturbances during the night.