A later start today but on setting off I was concerned that the blasted armchair might still be under the boat so pushed the stern out into deep water and reversed off the mooring. Once straight I dropped into forward gear and gave a burst of power before dropping back into neutral to glide as far as I could in the hope that I would clear any debris. It worked and I was on my way. Surely I wouldn't have any more trouble this trip?

Spoke too soon, for as I arrived at Atherstone Top Lock there was a notice pinned to the balance beam saying the flight was closed until 11.15am. It was now 9.30am. I moored up and went to the lock-keeper's cottage to enquire about the problem. Rang the bell and a lad opened an upstairs window. 'What's the problem?' I asked. 'Don't know, me dad's down the bottom'. Looked like I would have to wait until he got back. Made some tea, tidied the boat, had a chat with the boat that drew up behind me and waited ... and waited. A couple of hours later the lock-keeper's wife turned up and explained that someone had reported a problem with the gate on the bottom lock to British Waterways. The problem had apparently been known about for some time and was not really considered a problem but because someone had phoned Head Office it had to be investigated. Two boats were in the pound beneath the top lock and there were now eight boats above but the gates were padlocked and nobody was going anywhere. Mrs Lock-keeper tried to phone her husband at the bottom gates but his mobile was switched off so all we could do was wait. Finally we got the go ahead ... it was twenty past two!

The top lock was full and I was first in the queue and, because the boats in the pound below had come up, all the locks were set for me so it was fast going down the first five and I reasoned that I would soon be meeting the convoy coming up so it should be even faster if the gates were left open as we passed. By lock 6 I met up with the first of the upcoming boats and from here on down it was 'one in - one out' with no need to open any gates at all.

I had allowed just over five hours to do this stretch with its 11 locks and was astonished to find that I popped out of the bottom lock just two hours and five minutes after starting off! By the end of the day the five hour delay at the top of the flight had been reduced to a mere fifteen or so minutes.

I had had thoughts of a long tiring day, cruising until dark or stopping up far short of my intended spot but with loads of folk helping at the locks, it turned out to be a really easy day and a reasonably early night. The sun even shone on the way down.

I had planned to eat at The Anchor but eating alone in a pub didn't appeal so it was fish and chips again - hot this time! - before settling down for a restful evening.