Ben at the bottom of the first lock — photograph from The Booze Cruise

photo: Ben is at the bottom-left of the shot, stood at the boat's tiller as the boat sits at the wet, dark bottom of the nearly-empty lock; Mike is at the top-right of the shot, standing on the brick edge of the lock, looking down at Ben.

Location: the very first lock after heading west from the boat-hire base at Tardebigge.

Date: Saturday 27th June 1998.

Equipment: Yashica T5 compact.

Emulsion: Fujifilm Superia 400.

Keywords: Tardebigge, canal lock, lock gate 58, emptying the lock.

Notes: Ben was waiting for the water level in the lock to fall until it was the same level as the water beyond the lock (at which point the gate in front of the boat could be opened and he could drive the boat out).