Day 6

15 miles: 42 locks(!): 1 draw bridge: 1 exploding bottle of lemonade= 7+ litres of Pimms!

We have had a very packed day full of locks -  we very nearly completed everything we should have done today. We went through another draw bridge today which was fairly straight forward, but still a bit daunting with regards to my steering. The first flight of locks at Lapworth were made easier by a kind Canal and River Trust volunteer who helped us through the flight. Then after lunch we proceeded through the Hatton Locks. These were huge in comparison to any we've been through, and rather daunting, it felt like I had moved from the learner swimming pool to the adult pool. You could fit two boats in the locks but it meant that it is harder to line up and keep in position. The wind was really strong, especially in the locks at the top of the flight which meant that the boat was pushed around all over the place. It did get better though as we went down the flight, and then another boat joined us in the lock which made it a lot easier because there were more people to help Matthew open and close the gates.

After dinner we travelled though Warwick and Leamington Spa, where there was more graffiti but it was nicer language than Birmingham area - they were telling us to 'go vegan' and 'have a nice day' which is far better than being sworn at. We did meet some boys who started throwing stones at the boat, and the building on the far side of the canal, which wasn't a highlight of our day. However, we did point a handy passing policeman in their direction. Now though, we are moored with other boats, surrounded by pleasant farmland. 

While I was retrieving some food supplies from the storage under the sofas, the lemonade bottle started going crazy inside the sofa. At first I thought a water pipe had been knocked and I was really concerned but then I realised that it was the lemonade! I lifted it out, fizzing and spraying me and gave it to Matthew outside. I discovered that the panel of wood in the storage has some nails sticking out which punctured several holes in the lemonade. Also, it has been shaken around with the vibrations of the boat which didn't help matters. However, the positive result is that although we lost quite a lot of lemonade, I'm sitting here with a glass of Pimms by my side and it does taste good. Perfect end to the day!