Aldgate and Angel

While we were having breakfast it became apparent that we weren't really in the best place. Boats had started to be moved out of the ABNB basin back into the main Crick Marina; last night we had taken a spot recently vacated by a boat on a reserved mooring for the boat show. This was immediately opposite the ABNB basin. We very quickly moved - to a space just big enough a bit further on. While we were considering leaving Crick to return to Braunston we noticed a couple walking along the towpath and pausing outside our boat. We got talking to them and invited them to have a look round the boat. Over coffee we learnt that Margaret and Bob were caravanners who had come to a nearby site for a "retired caravanners" rally. (I think that's for retired people who caravan, rather than people who have retired from caravanning.) They had known about the boat show but had been put off by the admission charge, not realising that there was much more than just boaty stuff. They hadn't been on a narrowboat before so were pleased to have the opportunity we gave them. When they had gone we walked to the Co-op and bought a few more provisions.

The sound of an older engine heralded the arrival of Nick Wolfe on Aldgate towing Angel.

I took these rather dark photos in the gloom of the tunnel cutting.

This shows the cross straps used to connect motor and butty ...

... and here's another view.

As the butty entered Crick Tunnel the steerer was having difficulty keeping it in line with the motor; there was a bit of scraping along the left side. Oops!

We remembered we hadn't filled in the Crick Marina competition entry form, so we thought of a slogan, wrote it down; and then I walked to the office and posted it through their letterbox. Then it was time to leave Crick, five days after arriving, and so we set off through the tunnel. We tied up at the first piling we came to, in the company of a handful of other boats, and lit the fire. The weather had turned cold and windy; it rained later in the evening.

Now an earlier bedtime is called for - earlier than the past few nights, that is.