Highly efficient (and enjoyable) boating

22nd & 23rd April

With a good bit of boating to do, we set off at eight, despite getting to bed fairly late the night before. No regrets, we'd had a great evening with John and Nev, but it did mean we missed our usual bedtime. We were on our own for the first few locks, but then a familiar boat was seen rising in the lock behind; yes, it was Davinia in Supreme again, with a different selection of crew.

We waited for them in the next lock, and after that things zoomed on once more. Our passage through Tring cutting was enlivened by the closest sight ever of a kingfisher – it stayed sitting on a branch over the water whilst we went past near enough to touch it. We hung around a bit at the top of Cowroast, whilst Supreme watered, then down we all went, with the enthusiastic crew charging ahead to work the locks. I don't know what motivational techniques Incite use, but by Jove they work.

On arrival at Berkhamsted, the Incite boats went onto the new water point, whilst we found a space in the very busy moorings near Waitrose. It was just in time for a late lunch. When I turned off the engine, I found that the tacho showed 5399.5 hours, a bit of a hint to do the 5400 hours oil change.

That gave me something to do for the first part of the afternoon, after which we had a cup of tea and went round Waitrose, not so much because we were short of stuff, having done the big shop at Leighton Buzzard, but because it was a chance to get some different bits and pieces.

All in all, what with a very fine end to the day and everything, it had been a magic day's boating.

Today the weather wasn't so good, in fact it was persisting down, but not cold, and there was little wind. Yesterday we'd chatted to Dave and Ann on Verulam, who had kindly given way to the Incite flotilla above a lock yesterday, then arrived at Berko a bit later. They'd expressed interest in sharing with us today, so when we went onto the water point at around a quarter to nine, they started getting ready to move and went into the next lock as we were finishing filling the tank.

We had another excellent day's boating. Sheila got the bike out and lockwheeled ahead, I steered and Dave and Ann worked Verulam alongside us. It was one of those sessions where everything comes together. By lunch we were at the water point and lock at Apsley/Hemel Hempstead, where Verulam filled her tank and we made ourselves some sandwiches. Ann also nipped into Sainsbury's (which is right by the canal here) to get some essential supplies for Dave that can't be got elsewhere (well, that's what they said – the stuff came in a box about the size of 6 75cl bottles, and clinked).

Pressing on, we got to King's Langley by three. The mooring here is a bit pot luck. There's some above King's Langley lock, but it's right next to an overnight freight depot, complete with Tannoy system. Between King's Langley and the next lock, Home Park, the towpath side is mostly shallow. Below Home Park, there's a good bit of Armco piling with decent depth, but you are almost under the M25.

As luck would have it, we found one useable length between the locks, so Verulam moored on that (they're 70 foot long and have dogs) and we tied outside them. Fortunately, the canal is very wide here.

The weather is once more fine – as I write, Sheila is sat out on the bow doing her crochet. Tomorrow, we go on down to Rickmansworth, where we'll probably stay for a couple of days by the Aquadrome.