Rude

This week's award for outstanding and spectacular rudeness goes to a shiny shiny narrowboat owner. Nice as pie, and full of Northern charm & bonhomie before we entered the lock, the skipper of Nb 'Norwood' pulled off something so breathtakingly outrageous, we still can't quite believe it.

We entered Abingdon lock first, then Nb 'Norwood' followed us in. We descended, and all was well. Then, as soon as the lock gates were opening, Mr Norwood decided to break with etiquette and slammed his engine into "Full ahead" mode. Narrowly missing the lock gates, and scraping his stern all the way along our bow. No apology. No nothing. Then he sped off down the river to look for a mooring spot for himself and the boat he was buddied up with.

It's not so much the rudeness, or the dangerous and bad helmsmanship (despite having bow thrusters) which was so upsetting. It was the two-facedness of it all. He knew that we were also looking for a mooring spot downstream, when he made the decision to shaft us. I think that was just plain nasty.

But this story does have a happy ending. As it turns out, we did find ourselves a nice mooring spot, with easy egress for Sumo, and good TV reception. Sheena says, they're doubled up, down past the bridge, with a steep bank scramble to get themselves ashore.

Good Karma.