Perfect Harmony

Perfect Harmony
Moored at Huntingdon

Saturday 12 August 2017

Saturday 12th August '17

Just a short post, no pictures as I haven't had the chance.

This morning I took Paddy for his morning walk and when I got back I was sure I saw someone at the lock below us. We had breakfast and no boat came through, but when I went to get the back pram cover down, I could hear an engine puttering away, and there in the lock was a boat, diagonally across the lock, one top gate open one shut and no-one in sight. I called down to John and we assumed that it was a single handed boater having a quick cuppa or rest break.
We got the boat ready to go and there was still no sign of anyone so John went to investigate and I tied the boat up again, and followed him, fearing the worst to be honest.
John called out to me that there was a chap inside, lying down. Convinced that we had a body on our hands, I told him to go and check for signs of life. He said that the chap was breathing but seemed unconscious. I ran back and got my phone and rang 999.
John in the meantime went to the stern and worked out how to get the boat out of gear,but it was an old trad engine and he couldn't turn it off.
The ambulance lady on the phone asked me to go inside and check the man's breathing. I started to go in but noticed his had down his trousers and a strong smell of alcohol and so I told her I wasn't comfortable and she told me not to put myself in danger. I looked in again and he was stirring so I told her he seemed to be coming to. He looked at me and said. "Have you got permission to be on my boat?" I yelled at him that I thought he was dead, had rung the ambulance and was trying to help. And then I left the boat. John went in and he was quite abusive to him, again asking him what he was doing on his boat. John explained that his boat was in a lock and that he was going to pull him out, but that the engine was running. The guy asked if that was against the law, and that's when John gave up. He pulled the boat out and secured it and we left him to it.

Another couple came up as we were going in the lock so we shared four locks with them and have agreed to get through Leicester together tomorrow.

I have tried to get a Tesco home delivery but there are no slots today so that's that. Store cupboard meals for a couple of days.....except that there's a pub here so we'll probably eat there tonight.

You never know what you're going to find on the canals! Should be lots of pictures tomorrow as there's long gaps between the locks and so John will be steering.

Another pound has been emptied below us somewhere so hopefully tomorrow will see it sorted.

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