...and they're off

 ..and heading towards the Great Ouse.  I have a travelling companion as far as the Middle Levels who is going to see his mother in March.  It takes one hour by car to March and two days by boat so he can’t be in a desperate hurry to see his mother. The weather forecast is reasonable the sun is trying to come out but it’s not trying hard enough and is being beaten by the chill wind. The water lilies are out in force, big buttercup type water lilies and white frilly ones. The elderflowers and dog roses are abundant in the hedgerows, despite the chill factor it’s good to be out on the river.

At Cotterstock we are leaning on opposite lock gates waiting for the lock to fill when my boat pokes her nose in between us.  I hadn’t tied up properly and she’d escaped but being a good, well behaved sort of boat she hadn’t gone careering off down the side channel she’d just come round and stuck her bow in the lock entrance and waited for us to open the gate.  At subsequent locks I tied her extra carefully with reef notes and hitches and lots of wrapping around bollards and finished off with big girlie bow.  It took me hours to get it undone again.

Beyond Elton the water lilies had a long stemmed pink flower and swans and fluffy grey cygnets floated amongst them.  Swallows dived in front, behind and to the side of the boat chasing insects. The river is low and mud, dotted with holes, is exposed.  I wonder what lives in those holes. As we passed Nassington parachutists fell from the skies. 

After Yarwell lock I was admiring the rather smart houses that have been built alongside the river.  I was trying to peer in to see what soft furnishings they had and continued straight ahead in the direction of a moored boat, then I noticed that the river had turned off to the left and I was heading down a creek.  A bit of emergency reversing soon put me back on the right route.

We tied up at Wansford on a mooring where the agility of a mountain goat is required to get on and off the boat.  A boarding party arrived soon after we’d moored up demanded sandwiches and lager and when they had eaten their fill we all went to the nearest pub in the very attractive village and stayed there too long.