Why everyone with an unconverted historic camping boat and two unruly dogs needs Waterway Routes

Especially when it rains.

If non-steerer is inside (as is sensible when it's pissing down), then the dogs have to be inside too, and the door shut. On a modern boat, we'd be able to look out of the windows, but the translucents are just that - they let light in, but you can't see anything but a blur through them.

So how to know where you are? And, importantly, when you need to prepare yourself for some locks, or tying up?

Why, by following your progress on Waterway Routes, of course.

There's something hypnotic about watching that little red circle flashing its way along the blue line of the canal. I found the timings Paul gave strangely accurate, given our agonisingly slow progress on Thursday. It was certainly very useful to be able to estimate how long it would take to get to the locks, or whatever, and thuis whether there's time for another cup of tea.

Now, the reason the battery ran out - and indeed how I know it lasted thirteen hours before doing so - is that I asked Jim to buy an extra long lead, so it could be plugged in while going along, from a place local to him that makes them up to order. I gave him the exact make and model, but they obviously didn't know that Samsung have introduced their own charging plug now instead of a micro USB one, and gave him the latter, hence no charging lead. But thirteen hours - that's pretty damn good.