Braunston to bottom of Stockton locks

Napton to Braunston : 7 miles, 0 locks (in our absence)
To date : 609 miles, 333 locks

Braunston to Stockton : 8 miles, 3 locks
To date : 617 miles, 336 locks

Having met up briefly again with Barry and Carol last night before they moved off to moor by bridge 102 heading towards Napton Junction, we were all looking forward to cruising together again.  Aside from an odd cup of tea when we passed each other on the canal, we've not been cruising in company for a month.  We've both been lurking about the same section of canal but like ships passing in the night!

We had intended to be at bridge 102 a bit earlier but it didn't happen.  By the time we finished our unpacking, a last minute visit to the chandlery for replace lost fenders, the post office to send postcards home to our mothers and moved up to the water point to fill the water tank it was late morning.  Who should we see there but Andy and Jean from nb Josephine.  We had a good towpath talk and said farewell until we meet again in the marina at the start of December.

We're usually ready to go well before Barry and Carol and they obviously expected us long before we finally arrived.  With no phone reception at Braunston I wasn't able to contact them.  A passing boater yelled out "your mate said to tell you to hurry up!".  I rang them as soon as we had phone reception so they would know when we'd be there.  They were standing on the towpath.... ropes in hand and waiting! 

So we're back in our old routine, and moored tonight by Kate Boats Stockton base.  We had a boaters meeting to discuss where we might go the rest of the cruising season.  With our favourite neighbours from home coming at the beginning of next month and my brother and his wife coming at the beginning of October we're thinking those might be good times to tackle something like the Tardebigge flight!