Blogger Meeting and the Bluffing Boater

We had just finished the morning chores when I glanced out the porthole to see a passing green boat.   Guessing it was nb Briar Rose I called Jan and asked her to open the side hatch which gave us time for a very brief conversation with Adam.  He told us the new paint on Waiouru’s stern looked good <blessed are the people with long noses>.  Then I realised that with us having a scheduled rest day there was time for me to assist Adam and Adrian down the flight.

Things got a little interesting in the pound between Lock 17 & 18.  Briar Rose and another boat were waiting in the empty Lock17 and there was already a boat in the pound waiting to go down.  Meanwhile three boats were in Lock18 coming up.  A shuffle then took place!

Two locks ahead were two hire boats going down.  There must have been 7 or 8 crew around the lock doing everything except attend to the paddles and gates.  Everyone was giving everyone else advice and there was a lot of “noise” but very slow progress.  Summer must have arrived early!

After lunch I used T-Cut on the bow black paint and the pale yellow bow ‘flashes’.  Then they were given a polish.  They’ve come up rather well so I don’t think I’ll repaint them.  By 4.30 the moorings were starting to fill.  A boat heading south pulled in two behind us and started to moor before realising there was a vacant mooring two boats in front of us.  The steerer then decided to leave their mooring behind us and move to the one in front. However a Canaltime hire boat exiting the lock and heading north arrived at the mooring first.  The privateer then bluffed and bullied the hire boat crew into vacating the mooring telling them it was “his” mooring.  The hire boat steerer was so well bluffed he even apologised to the privateer for occupying a private mooring.

Here he is…. Note the “Tick Over” signs. Obviously a boater who expects others to be considerate.  The Canaltime hire boater moved to the mooring two behind us.