We winded today and returned to the marina ready to have the engine serviced.
We joined another boat in the lock as the lock at Aldermaston Wharf is huge.
On the boat were three lovely American ladies, all immaculately turned out and all probably considerably older than me.
They had collected the boat at the weekend and were aghast when they realised the boat wasn't crewed and that would have to steer it themselves.
They had bravely decided to have a go and set of along the canal. As it was the weekend there were volunteer lock keepers on duty, they operated the swing bridge, locked the boat through and the ladies continued their journey.
The next obstacle was Woolhampton swing bridge, a bugger of a side current and Woolhampton lock, again the volunteers were there and the ladies navigated all three.
They stopped overnight on the visitor moorings and visited the local pub. The following morning the ladies set of again and reached Heals lock, there were no volunteers at this lock, they enquired of other boaters and soon realised that from now on they were on their own.
There is a winding hole by Heals lock so the ladies turned around and navigated their way back to the moorings by the pub. And there they stayed until it was time to return the boat.
It took them an entire day to get through Woolhampton lock and swing bridge and the tied up on the lock landing for the night. By the time they reached Aldermaston Wharf lock they were somewhat frazzled so Steve and I locked them through, Steve turned our boat around and headed back into the lock. I operated the swing bridge for them.
The arrangement with the hire boat company is that boats are to be returned facing the swing bridge. This means another lock and winding hole.
By now the ladies had had enough, they steered the boat in to the wrong bank and abandoned it, they clambered across some moored boats and left the hire boat staff to reclaim the boat. I can't really say that I blame them.
8 comments:
It amazes me that anyone with no experience can hire a boat and be left to themselves. We went on a boat holiday on the Broads nearly 30 years ago and after less than 10 minutes instruction we were on our own. We managed and had a great time but there were some panicky moments.
I agee, it's terrifying, the amount of hire boaters who get bailed out by us more experienced ones is incredible. Also the amount of damage they do to the canal, the locks and the wildlife is also appalling.
My first husband and I once hired a boat on the Thames for a fortnight. We knew exactly what we were letting ourselves in for but it was a baptism of fire for me - for a lot of the time I was terrified.
The Thames is fast and deep, I'm not keen on it Weaver even though we've been on it a few times.
We had a boat on the broads and were joined by my parents. We moored at Yarmouth and took the children to pleasure beach while mum and dad stayed on board. When we returned there was ambulances and police divers everywhere. My father said a boat had crashed into several moored and a few had been ripped from there mooring. Someone had fallen in and swept away. He died.....never again.
GIA, that must have been horrible.
Ohhh madams now the expert after living on a boat for a year, it was once you dear, we all have to learn.
Dear anonymous Twatface, I've lived on a boat for three years, so yes I'm way more experienced that a holiday boater who has been on board for less than a week.
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