Following a very early start to the day, up and dressed before finding out it was 05.25, we set off through Braunston flight of 6 locks. Think I was suffering from sleep deprivation, as at the first lock I struggled to open a very stiff paddle only to realise that I had opened the wrong one and was filling the lock instead of emptying it! Good job it was early and there were no gongoozelers about to witness my idiocy! Lol! Yet again I was very glad to have my super duper windlass as I would have failed to operate some of the really stiff and heavy winding gear. After that we had to negotiate the Braunston tunnel (2042 yards) passing 4 boats inside which was nerve wracking worrying about Liberte’s new paintwork, thankfully we made it through unscathed, although we heard a very loud bang some way behind us as we emerged so I think someone else wasn’t so fortunate. Then more locks at the Watford fight of 7, 4 of which were staircase locks. Good news was received there when we learned that the swan who had made her nest at the side of one of the pounds and had recently lost her mate, had hatched 4 signets. One of the boats queuing to come through the locks behind us belonged to a photographer from Waterways World Magazine so he was taking lots of photos of Liberte and also of my ratchet windlass!!! Fame at last! Haha! Found a lovely place to moor overnight with a field of sheep for company and a well earned beer or two.