A photograph cannot do it justice.
Three swing bridges today. At the first one there are a load of lads mucking about on motorbikes and roaring across the bridge and up the canal path. At least there is a place to moor on the operational side of the bridge so I tie up and approach with some trepidation. It was unjustified and one of the lads warns that if I leave my boat there it will be crushed by the bridge. He is right - I thought the bridge would open the other way, but if I leave it on the bollards the bridge will hit it. What is the point of the bollards!!! I mange to secure the centre rope to the first bollard which should keep the boat back far enough from the bridge. He offers to work the bridge for a fiver - my reply is that if I paid a fiver for every bridge I would soon run out of money. I cannot move the bridge on my own and two of them help - without payment - and close it behind me - thank you. The next two bridges pose no problems - except one will not stay open but that is a simple matter of tying it off with a rope.
A rare sight in these parts - another boat!
There are fields opposite the canal where James can chase his ball and run about to his hearts content. He spends a good quarter of an hour chasing swifts at full tilt. Not surprisingly he did not catch any!
It is a lovely spot, with good TV and internet reception so I will be staying put for a couple of days. At last I have got the blog up to date - hopefully it will remain so.
4 miles; 0 locks; 3 moveable bridges
TOTAL: 448 miles (149 miles broad, 40 miles river); 216 locks (83 broad); 37 moveable bridges
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