Mutiny

Cold and overcast start to day, but sunny and warm by afternoon. Left our overnight mooring at 08.15 ready to drop Lynne off at her pick-up point ( no comments please ) The Albion pub, Loughborough. Derek and Sue duly arrived as we disappeared into a Turkish "supermarket" for today's supplies. The remaining two man crew and I carried on with our journey towards Stensen. The first lock was eventful, overlooked by a little old lady on one of those frightening electric trikes, who suddenly became very active, indicating Bob had fallen off the lock wall, fortunately onto a grass bank rather than the water. She offered to help Margaret get him up or call an ambulance, but Bob eventually indicated he was OK and got up unaided, seemingly uninjured but with a raging hump, depositing himself on the boat settee where he threatened to remain for the duration. Margaret and I completed lock duties at that one and the next, fortunately helped by an upcoming crew.  The next lock boasted a water tap and a cassette disposal unit. The former was blocked by a moored boat and the latter manifested itself as a very large ,smelly plastic tank with no rinse-out water supply. We somehow managed to fill the water tank but the  plastic hose-reel disintegrated when rewinding. The cassettes were emptied into the smelly tank and rinsed out on the river bank. Having entered and left the lock,which leaked both ends equally, I suddenly remembered the cassettes were still on the river bank. It was a relief ( excuse the pun) to find them still there when I returned. From there we went through 3 locks with two very brave Tupperware boat crews whilst our recovering crew member girded his loins for return to duties and any required future activities. The junction of the Soar, Trent and Airewash canal proved confusing but we eventually made it onto the Trent and Mersey. At one point I thought we were crossing the Channel , such was the width of water. Good practice if we ever decide to get over to France.