Lazy boaters cause Lucy to take a tumble
Moored Widmead Lock, Kennet & Avon Canal
A couple of boats through today coming up the locks. One was the Kennet & Avon trip boat obviously being taken to further up the canal with no passengers on boards just a lazy crew who didn’t bother to close the top gate of the lock here as they left.
This meant that from our offside mooring we had to go to the bottom gate to cross the lock on a very thin plank. I knew I was going to have to be very careful, but Lucy jumped up on to it and tried to scamper across. Down she went off the bottom gate into the water. It’s only a drop of 3ft 7 inches, but enough! There is also a strong overflow from the bywater too.
I kept very calm, after all she is 13 years old, and encouraged her to swim past the lock landing, which has a very sharp edge, where I could pull her out of the vegetation beyond non the worse for her dunking!
She wanted to continue with her afternoon walk though, and we stretched out and did a circuit of the big lake before she got some well deserved tlc. Hasn’t put her off her grub either!
NP will need a bit of tlc tomorrow after all that wet and mud in the salon! Oh the joys of having boat dogs! 
Some interesting guesses to yesterday’s Wassat? For sure it does look like a handle of a tankard or tea pot..
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Yes, it was a handle all right, but the handle of the Francis fire engine light that I got off ebay! Well done to those three who were correct today, Roger, Gail and Wends (Commented from France high up in the Alps too!). So trois (Thanks for the sp Frank), deux and un points pour vous lot. Oh and I am going to give un point pour Charlie for noticing the bit of spider thread! 
Go on, I’l do another then..
Wassat? It’s not on the boat!
Sue
Updated 23rd January 2012
January 24th, 2012 at 11:51 pm
Is it a lock gate balance beam From Sheila and Allan
January 25th, 2012 at 1:24 am
In keeping with the theme francais, I’ll guess at the business end of a guillotine looking up from the head rest.
January 25th, 2012 at 8:21 am
Pass
January 25th, 2012 at 8:39 am
Ermm… OK how about a reflection of the top beam (not the balance beam) of a lock gate or the walkway plank fixed to the gate (like the one that Lucy unfortunately fell off)
January 25th, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Hope it’s not the walkway beam as it looks very uneven!!
From what I can see in the top left (looks like grass methinks) I would say its a really closeup view of the towpath bank – probably near to where you are moored???
Charlie
January 25th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Poor old Lucy! Give her a cuddle from us.
January 25th, 2012 at 9:00 pm
So glad that Lucy is ok – we don’t need any more doggie disasters….
Sue, nb Indigo Dream
ps. Won’t embarrass myself with the “wassat” – I can never guess – but aren’t your other readers perceptive
January 26th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Hi Sue,
I’ve just been reading some of your posts with great interest. I wonder if you would mind contactin me. I wouldlike to interview you for my site.
Thanks.
Paul
January 26th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Stone steps at a lock or stone edging?
January 26th, 2012 at 11:28 pm
I was a bit unfair with the Wassit? wasn’t I?
But I hope it doesn’t stop you from having a guess in the future. Well I had to win one surely?! 
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Geoff and Sue,
Lucy at 13 is a very strong dog, really fit too and sensible. Collies will listen to what you want, they seem to trust their owners so much, there was no panic. She is fine.
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Paul,
I don’t know what else you can gleen from me that you don’t already have on your excellent website, but I’ll drop you an email later..