A-locking we will go!

Me, Erik, Agnieszka, Michelle, Nic and Q on "Splendid"

Last Saturday, 6 of us from school (there would have been 7 but unfortunately Adam couldn't make it in the end) set off from London and headed for the sleepy little town of Linslade, near Leighton Buzzard (near Milton Keynes - complicated, I know), to pick up our hire boat "Splendid" and set off on the "Great CBA". We were sooo excited, for all of us this was to be our first experience of narrow boats, canals, and locks - but at the same time I will admit, I was a little apprehensive, for two reasons. First, we all work together - but how would we get on in such a confined space for a whole week? Second, when I found out that Adam, the only one with a boat licence, couldn't come, well I was a bit worried. On that count, I needn't have been - Blind Freddy could drive these boats (well, maybe not "Blind" Freddy - but you get the picture). But as for my first concern, I really shouldn't have worried - I live with Nic, have travelled extensively with Agnieszka, and was on a weekend long camp with Michelle and Erik... so that just left Quentin. Well, he's as laid-back as they come, so no worries there.

Anyway, we arrive in Linslade and immediately Nic and I are sent off to do the grocery shopping whilst the others have the training on the boat. I'll admit I was a bit peeved about this, I wanted to see the training too - but if we were to get away before the Saturday midday rush, we needed to split up and get the various jobs done. So off we went to Tesco.

When we got back, the dude who had been training the others on the boat (you know, things like how the toilets flush, how the shower works, how to start the engine...) took us down to the first lock. He explained how the locks work, and then showed us how to do it. Basically, if you are on the bottom level wanting to go up, and the lock is "down" - then its your lock (if another boat is approaching it from the opposite direction to you). So, you open the gate (easier said than done sometimes) by leaning back on it with your bottom and using your legs to walk the gate back. Then, the boat goes in, you close the gate, and go to the opposite gate. If there is only one set of lock gears, then you open them halfway, and once the lock is half full, you open it fully, using the windlass. But if there are two sets of lock gears, you must open the back ones first - and then when the lock is half full, the front ones. These are sometimes white and red coloured ("red before white, you're alright, white before red, and you're dead..."). Once the water in the lock reaches the same level as that outside the gates (where you're going) then you can open the gate and let the boat out. Pretty simple, really... you'd think. In dry weather, yes. Or with just one lock. But you try a sequence of 7 locks, in absolutely pounding down rain - that's another story.

I have to say though that out of the jobs required for "locking" - I'd rather be opening the gates than steering the boat into the lock. Also, when you're in a lock going down, you have to be careful of the cill or you'll take out your rudder. And as you go down, the boat goes forwards, so you have to keep putting it into reverse, or forwards, to keep it in the centre of the lock - dude who taught us to do the locks calls this a "hill start for the canal boat".

So our first lock, he takes us through all of this (just before we go in to the lock) - and then tells me to jump on the back and steer the boat in. Now, hang on. I was shopping before. I don't even know which way on the gear stick thingy is forward, or neutral, or anything... mini panic here, then I get on with it. It was great fun actually, and I managed quite well on that lock (not so on the others mind, but more on that later).

We get through the lock, dude literally jumps off the boat - and we're off! Sun is shining, birds chirping, morale high, I get to steer the boat for a bit, we make lots of cups of tea and cruise along the canal, taking turns to steer. It was on someone else's turn (not mine, hey Erik) that we narrowly avoid colliding with another boat when crossing under a bridge - boy are there a lot of bridges on the Grand Union canal too - phew. That was close.

We drove for about 5 hours and then moored up. We'd been through 4 locks (1 and then 3 in succession) and it had been very pleasant sailing. After mooring we made our way to a pub nearby for a very nice meal, after a lovely day.