We woke to that horrible fine drizzle that soaks right through you so had a lazy breakfast and faff around. Jenny, optimistically, said it was getting brighter in the distance so we ventured off our mooring. It was a morning of waterproofs on and off but by the time we came across The Pig Place the sun was trying very hard to shine through. Pork for Sunday purchased and then on our way.
By lunchtime the warm sun had arrived which put a big smile on Sid and Jenny's faces. But, along with the sun came an ever increasing and challenging wind. Bearing in mind Sid is supposed to be on light duties it was with some concern that, having approached the bank to let Jenny ashore to prepare Somerton Deep Lock, he really struggled to hold on to Hunters Moon in the strong cross wind. Obviously, he managed to bring HM under control. Whilst Sid was battling, Jenny was having her own battle with the huge, heavy bottom gate of this very deep lock. On her arrival at the empty lock she noticed a boat approaching it, so, as is the etiquette on the waterways she tried to open the gate for the approaching boat to enter the empty lock. However, she was being beaten and just couldn't budge it despite having the paddles up, in case the water levels were not the same. By this time the poor chap in the other boat was having similar problems to those Sid had experienced, exacerbated by a strong bywash at the mouth of the lock. To the rescue comes a wonderful, beefy Ozzy, whose hire boat had just moored behind Sid. He managed to open a the bottom gate. The boat entered the lock and my hero Ozzy was able to close the gate, Jenny wasn't sure she would have been able to do it on her own!
When it was Hunters Moon's turn to enter the lock, to go down, Jenny asked rather cheekily, if the Ozzy was happy to operate the lock if she went back on board, rather than Sid having the problem of picking Jenny up on vacating the lock. He agreed and Jenny had the very rare experience of descending a lock on board. Hence the photos!
The pesky wind was making driving conditions very difficult and rather unpleasant so we found a sheltered mooring and enjoyed the warm sunshine and even enjoyed a bbq in the evening. Perfect!
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