Date - 26 April 07 Day - Thursday Start - Fenny Wharf 0930 hrs End - Aynho Weir Lock 1900 hrs
Just before we pushed off I dipped the diesel tank, the last time we took diesel was at Fazeley last time out and then we didn't fill up. The dipstick showed that we had 120 lt. not enough for a fortnight cruise so we moved on to the Fenny Compton boat yard and took on 100 lt at 51 p/ lt. We didn't see any boats on the move until we reached Claydon Top lock where we spotted a hire boat in the first pound, I opened the bottom gates for them and that threw them completely, the gates open and no one comes out ! By the time we locked down there were two boats behind us. From now on we met boat at most locks and it continued like this all the way to Banbury. Between the bottom of Claydon and the next lock we met the Navy on one of their boats. We were just rounding the bend when they steered left instead of right which meant instead of rounding the bend the crossed the canal and were heading straight for me. I gave it full power and pushed the helm hard over, slid round the outside of the bend and they hit the bank behind me. Do you think one of them will try and sell the story to the papers? As we rounded Tesco bend as we entered Banbury we came to where contractors are dredging the cut and emptying the hoppers into lorries. We had to wait about 5 minuets while the dredger finished loading the hopper he was working on and then we went past while they brought another empty for him to fill. We arrived at Sovereign boat yard about 15 minutes before they closed so I stopped and took on another 95 ltr of diesel, this time it was only 48 p/lt.and we now have a full tank. After Banbury we had a light rain shower, we decided to moor for the night before Nell Bridge but as the bank was so uneven we pushed on and finally stopped just below Aynho Weir Lock, we are right beside the railway but it is the only spot for miles where its in a cutting. -- Brian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit this site and help save our waterways http://www.savethewaterways.org.uk/
