Which Way to Turn

Monday 8^th October

We had a lie today as we did not have far to travel and ended up chatting to Angela, John, Doug and James on the towpath beside the boats and then had coffee and Doug’s chocolate cake on board Autumn Myst as the weather had begun to deteriorate.

* Chatting on the Towpath

Eventually we said our goodbyes to the lovely crew of Nb Ellen and headed off about 11am in the mizzle towards Napton Junction. Just up the canal we passed Queen of the May, but again nobody was about.

* Queen of the May another Sandhills Boat

Negotiating the next two locks we passed the Blue Lias pub and there was only one boat there, The Beez Neez who Nb Ellen were to meet up with later in the day.

We sailed through the Stockton Flight and just beyond saw this unusual boat. I have seen it before but this time a young gent was on board and I was thus able to ascertain that its unusual shape is based on one of the hulls of a Polynesian catamaran.

* Unusual Shaped Boat

Just beyond I spotted this nice garden Shed attached to a narrowboat.

* Hebe The Garden Shed

At the Calcutt locks we spied Godfrey and Penny on Nb Halcyon just leaving the water point and we had a mad phase of waving to one another as they disappeared up the cut..

At Napton Junction we had planned to leave Chance and head towards Braunston but Doug and James invited us to continue on to Napton and meet up with Nb Dolce Far Niente and go for a meal at the Folly so we turned right and followed them passed a field of bobbing heads which turned out to be Canada Geese in a corn field.  The picture is not very good because of the awful wet weather.

* Bobbing Heads of Canada Geese

We moored up on the visitor moorings which have been extended beyond the winding hole and joined Doug and James onboard DFN for tea and some of Jaynes delicious muffins.

Later we went aboard Chance for pre-dinner drinks and then onto the Folly for a lovely meal. Doug and June were their usual noisy selves but this time we did not get thrown out of the pub.

* The Folly

* Jayne, Stephen, Doug, James, June and Bob enjoying their meal

We all returned to Autumn Myst for coffee after a lovely evening together.