Dead Reckoning
It is not uncommon to see animal carcases in the canal. Today on our way from Berko to Marsworth we were surprised by first a dead otter and then a muntjac in addition to the more common duck, mouse and badger.

How to lose customers - 2
Once again we have met up with the Floating Bankers. (see previous post - 10 July 2007)
This team were from Alliance and Leicester. They were using three hire boats and a support boat. As the locks are broad along here two boats can share a lock with the benefit of much speedier passage accomplished by additional crew for winding paddles and pushing gates. As we set off this morning one of these boats came past us and offered to share the lock with us. When we arrived a the lock, however, there was a boat already in it so we had to wait while the bankers took the vacant space. After they had departed we pulled in to the bank for Margaret to reset the lock for our passage but before she could do this two lads came running along the towpath and started the process. This is a good sign as it meant we had aboat behind to share the work with. But no! These ALLIANCE &LEICESTER bankers informed Margaret that theey had two boats and must travel together. And so we actually worked all the locks to Marsworth with the charming lads on the support boat.
I now have no A & L account.