Would you share a lock with this man? Serves me right for fooling around when the other half's got the camera! Don't have nightmares...

Wreckage near the Twenty Pence Marina. Hope they leave this one here, as it seems to blend into the landscape...

Waiting for Hemingford Lock. She's still looking shiny 3 months after applying the Poliglow, it was worth every penny.

A couple of oyster catchers, snapped on the open section of the Old West river. Always a good spot for wildlife.

Heading out into the wilderness... We never tire of this stretch of the Old West River.

It's us! Sheltering from the afternoon sun. Nice to see some sunshine, and the water levels back to normal, after the torrential rain of the last month. Must paint that canopy frame!

Marina on duty lockside, Hemingford, on a perfect boating afternoon.

The Great Ouse really is a picture postcard river in places. This picture was taken at the EA moorings at Houghton Mill. Just upstream from here is Houghton Lock, a favourite haunt for hordes of gongoozlers! If you're going to make a fool of yourself in a lock, it will be here.

A pair of swans on the river

The Seven Legged Fenland cattle roam freely on the fens.

Entering Hemingford lock with enthusiastic crew.

Blackberrying on the Old West river. The wet summer certainly made for a heavy crop. A boat is the only way to get at the best ones! These were later used to make an apple and blackberry crumble. Mmmm, delicious!

Sunset over Hundred Acre mooring.

She lights up our lives. Cassie all aglow at Hundred Acre.

Actually it was the weekend after the weekend of the IWA Festival. Just a few narrowboats remain. As seen through St Ives bridge.

View of the Hundred Foot Drain taken from Denver. This is a shortcut upstream to Earith. It cuts out all of the Ely Ouse and the Old West river. Trouble is, there's not much to see, it's dead straight with nowhere to stop! We'd rather go the long way round. One day we'll do it, just to say we have.

Black Fen from the bridge at the Fish and Duck. You can see how it got its name! This is possibly the best agricultural land in the country.

Locking at Brownshill Staunch.

Brownshill Staunch, possibly the windiest, bleakest and slowest lock on the river! This lock has very slow electric guillotine gates at both ends. It separates the tidal and non tidal sections of the Great Ouse. It takes ages to get through despite the difference in levels being only a few inches at times. Note: since this caption was first written the lock gates have been speeded up.

Teasels are a common sight on the Old West river