Thursday; Nick and Polly set off early, while we were still in bed so when we eventually got up they were gone. The day for us was spent making a trip into town together, and later Sally going off to see the town market and get some fresh veg before we moved off again at around 2,30 to go further downstream. We had a good cruise in glorious sunshine and soon reached St Neots lock with its new guillotine gate and fixtures, negotiating it with a small cruiser which came up behind us.

After the lock we had a long run up to the next lock being Offord and with it being so hot and sunny we put up my fishing brolly to try and get some shade, which gave me an idea for later, when we had moored up. We passed the mooring we had when we came up the Great Ouse and continued on to Offord lock passed Buckden marina until we spotted Thomas Ryan with Nick and Polly. With a wave from Nick we manoeuvred into the bank and moored up just behind them.

We stayed here for three nights, two with Nick and Polly and the last with David and Jan off cruiser Morning Mist who we had met at St Ives and their BBQ. The first two days and nights were spent having a great time chatting and fishing and discovered that Nick is a real comedian, coming out with some very funny statements which had us both rolling around laughing. Now on Friday evening while everyone was watching the Olympic opening ceremony I was sttod out on the back and I saw my first ever wild Otters. There was a family of two adults and two smaller ones messing around on the far bank and I was awestruck, it was amazing to see and I was like a little kid. I called Sally to see and went to tell Nick who came out to watch them, how fantastic is that, I have seen them in zoo’s but never before in the wild. I did get some photos but as it was near dark they are a bit blurred due to the long exposure, but who cares I got some. We did look for them the next day, but they never showed up and I had the camera ready, what a shame.

Anyway Saturday came and it was time for Nick and Polly to head further down river, but we stayed on as we had a call from David and Jan letting us know that they were heading toward us on the start of their two week holiday and wanted to meet up again. We said our goodbyes and waved them off again knowing that we would meet up again within the next few days somewhere on the river.

A couple of hours passed before David and Jan turned up and as someone else had moored behind us, they came along side and breasted up with us. Sally being Sally prepared a lovely meal for us all which we had on the boat, with David bringing a nice bottle of red wine. It was good to see them again and we heard all the news of the Bedford River festival and their part in it. They won the trophy for the best themed boat, being Super Hero’s with the boat kitted out as the Bat Boat and everyone on it as a Super Hero, David as the Ridler and Jan as Cat Woman. They also won the evening session which was the best lit boat (nobody else will go next time), so well done guys and the Bedford Boat Club. After dinner we did a spot of fishing and drinking lots of tea before we all turned in for the night, (what a great trip this is for meeting and making new friends.

Sunday; Up with the lark it was time to prepare for setting off again for both boats so after a good supply of tea, David and Jan set off again heading for Lincoln after crossing the Wash, and we set off behind them making for Huntingdon and beyond. With the promise of showers we put up our now installed brolly and made for Brampton Lock which was only a short distance ahead and on reaching it we had to wait for a boat coming through. Once it had gone I set the lock for us to go in, and as I was closing the bottom gates another boat turned up who wanted to go upstream, so I opened them again and let them in. the lock done we headed off toward Godmanchester lock and passing many boats who were travelling upstream and back to their moorings, and work (hehehehe). At Godmanchester there were folk waiting for us and had the lock prepared for us to go straight in, we were being spoilt as we just let them do the work. We were pleased with the brolly as we had some heavy showers along the way and it did its job well for us as we stayed dry.

After the lock came Huntingdon, and with the moorings all taken we continued on to Houghton Lock, finally mooring up on the island just above the lock. At the lock we waited for a big cruiser to come out and it seemed to take ages for the guillotine to open, and we found out why when we went in at some speed. For some reason they had left the bottom sluices open and the water was just rushing through, so these had to be closed before could operate the lock safely. We headed out toward the island and passed Nick and Polly who were just moving off for St Ives (was it us ;)), whilst moored up that evening the heavens opened up, with a violent thunder storm and torrential rain. There were flashes of lightening followed immediately by loud clashes of thunder as the storm passed directly overhead.