Arrive at the boat with the First Mate to take a leisurely cruise back into to town. If you can call any cruise with 25 locks in it leisurely. The Mate has been a bit poorly of late, but reckons she can handle the steering if I do all the locks. A plan that works well until she loses her nerve a bit after arguing with the bridge after lock 3. She seems to expect me to be a bit cross at the missing paintwork, which would be a nadge hypocritical given the amount I've taken off. Still, I take over for the next two locks, but we're all back on course by the time we get to Ashted. And the Mate takes the Cat through this much longer and narrower tunnel with nary a scuff. There's a posse of gothic youth waiting for us at the bottom of Farmer's bridge, and some give us a hand getting through the lock. Which we need, given that amongst the debris at the gate are two large plastic jerry cans which jam us in the chamber. Youth of today, eh? Mos' charming, bless 'em. Although they didn't offer me any of their cider, so perhaps my dad is right. The next 12 locks pass without incident, although not without knackering me completely. It's dark as we get to the top, where we are greeted by a boaty friend, who unfortunately can't stop as he is equipped snail like with a weeks' washing on his back. So instead we toddle off to the Frankfurt market for a bit of mulled wine and a sausage or too.