Just another day

Bubourne to Circus Field with a break for lunch.
At the top of Marsworth flight of locks we picked up nb Fridiswide which we have travelled with before but I can't remember exactly where and when.
The first test of the day.....how to get into a lock when some idiot has moored their  yogurt pot in front of one of the gates.  Fridiswide entered first and took up the left position which gave me the interesting challenge of getting in next to him without crushing the yog pot.(which is what I really wanted to do)
I rose to the challenge and accomplished the task with panache. - YEH!

At Marsworth Jct all but one of the old canal buildings has been demolished and work has started on the residential development.

There will be twelve houses overlooking the canal and the boater services will be moved to the old BW building on the corner.  I wonder if C&RT will take the opportunity to improve the services - perhaps there will be a shower. (not holding my breath)

As we approached lock 8 on the Aylesbury Arm we met a boat which had been trying to moor at Wilstone but had found the pound too shallow.
When we entered the pound it was down about a foot.  We have a very slow tick-over on Gecko and by keeping it in gear at this speed I was able to make it to lock 9 by which time the water was down another six inches.

On exiting lock 9 we found the cause of the problem - one of the paddles was not closing.

This picture was taken with all paddles down but it is obvious that the one on the left is  not doing its job.

The corollary to this of course was that from lock 10 onwards there was too much water and it was a struggle to open the gates to get out.

The cormorant on the tree did not seem to be the least bit interested in our activities, presumably becasue we are not part of his diet.