Tuesday 3rd November

Set off from outskirts of Marsworth and went along the Tring summit which was very beautiful, a bit bleak when the sun went in but it is the highest point before we start descending gradually towards London. Our main concern of the day was finding a mooring that would suit us for lockdown if we are not supposed to move (although James assures us that you can move along to find essential services, such as water and potty facilities). In everyday life we take them for granted. On a narrowboat they obsess your mind unless they are sorted! The first hopeful marina we came to, Cowroast, was closed. The next Elsan was out of order so we entered Berkhamsted not quite sure what we would find. Except that at lock 51, adjacent to yet another Waitrose, there were Matthew and Joanna. Keen narrowboaters, Matthew had lived on one in a previous life, they had come to join us (socially distanced!) to help with a few locks and then go out to supper before returning to their spacious home, with a full length bath and copious hot water and flushing lous! Seriously, I don’t mind the challenge of living with R 58ft x 6ft 10″ for four weeks. I am sure we will learn alot more about each other than we have discovered in 33 years of marriage, with many distractions along the way. Matthew’s aunt lives nearby so she joined the front of the boat cruising through Berkhamsted, a first she said in her long lived life. We found the mooring we wanted with water and potty facilities but yet again the Elsan didnt work. I was later told that this was because when the Canal and River Trust took over from the Waterways, they told the pub that the Elsan was on their land and that it was their responsibility to keep it working. The pub said they had not asked for an Elsan in their garden so the CRT should be responsible. The pub then moored two boats along their waterfront and the CRT objected but the pub said that the CRT had said it was pub land! So the argy bargy goes on and meanwhile us boaters have no potty facility! Anyway, a nice helpful guy on another boat said he thought he and R could mend the Elsan so they have agreed to meet tomorrow. Meanwhile I found myself all alone on one side of the canal with the boat whilst R and guests were on other side. That meant I had to get the water in the tank. Easy, you might think but I have yet to master how to connect the hose to the tap without losing as much water as I am gaining! Added to the fact that the boat sometimes has a mind of its own and you have to really heave on the mid rope to pull it into the side. I am learning a lot of new skills with biceps to match. Eventually all was sorted and we moored for the night. Then we had to find the recommended Italian restaurant at the Apsley marina which was easier said than done. However ‘Calzone’ is really worth a visit. The pizzas were delicious and the risotto large enough to ask for a doggy bag for the leftovers of our two portions.