Where is everybody? From Southall to Rickmansworth

So much is said about overcrowded canals in London. OK this is not exactly the hip part of the London canal network, but it is not far from London and within good transport reach. I definitely expected to share locks. But on my trip from Southall to Rickmansworth the canals were practically empty. I encountered not more than ten boats on the move in two days. In most areas, the canal bank was lined with boats, but no movement. Which meant I had to do most of the locks on my own (I've got beer stashed for bribes, but nobody to give it to). Ah well, I can use the exercise and since I changed the method to step off the boat before the lock and pull it in from the top I don't need to tackle slimy lock ladders anymore either.

The first lock in Cowley was so leaky that I was not strong enough to open the gate. I had to recruit two blokes from the local pub to push on the gate with me. It's been the same already last year, do these locks not get repaired? As I was moored before Cowley lock waiting for the lock to empty, sort of blocking the winding hole (the turning point for boats for the uninitiated), a shiny widebeam rocked up and put itself sideways in an attempt to turn round with about 5cm room between the bank and my boat. I shouted over that I'll be going into the lock in 2 minutes time and maybe he wants to wait. He shouted back that he'd be gone in 2 minutes. It was amusing to watch him as he banged heavily into the bank (fortunately not my boat!) trying to turn. Eventually he had to step off and pull the massive boat round as he couldn't manoeuvre in the tight space. This is symptomatic of London for me. No time, no time, even in a boat. Relax, man!

This is when he had almost made it. It was much tighter when he was sideways.

The scariest moment came in Denham Deep Lock. Everything went OK, but this is a lock of 4m rise and the boat looked very vulnerable down there in the churning water. What cheered me up at the lockside was meeting some tourists from Berlin, who were delighted that I spoke German and asked a lot of questions about boating on the canals ("Wahnsinn, und ditt müssen sie allet alleene machen?").

Little Willum in the big lock

The second day began even quieter than the first as I moved further out of London. For the last few locks I joined up with a retired couple who did Oxford Canal and Oxford to London on the Thames and back on the Grand Union in three weeks. This will take me more like double that I think. They were very determined!

So now I am waiting for my first crew to join me tomorrow to do Rickmansworth to Tring over the weekend. I haven't told her yet that this involves around 25 locks ....