Sunday 24th May, Thrupp.
Talk about rubbing it in; we awoke to the best morning for a long time, a clear blue sky which remained that way all day. Just because we had taken our leave of the Thames.
From our mooring near Dukes lock and south of the junction we had a grandstand view of the boat traffic. We had planned to stay put until early afternoon as it was a sunny Sunday. At one point, owing to a single handed boater being very awkward, a queue had built up of five boats below and wanting to go up the Oxford canal.
That was just about manageable until the arrival of another boat from the Thames.
The (boater 1)jumped some of the queue and got away with it owing to the kindly laid back boater that was now behind him. Next, whilst rushing down the steep brick abutment of the lock, he (boater 1)slipped and very nearly went into the canal. We had seen this same man at Eynsham with his boat across the river and his wife jumping onto the fore end to use the engine to get back alongside the staging. It is strange how often first impressions are correct!
Eventually all of the boats went up the lock; having given them a 20minute start, we followed and apart from the very shallow water and running up on two obstructions on the bottom, which we got off easily.
One of the boats had tied up just before Roundham lock; they had managed to get a load of 6mm flat twin and earth electrical cable wrapped around the blades. I was told later that there was 17 metres in all, perhaps it was as well that we had waited before we set off. We arrived at the Thrupp cruising club and we were directed to our previously arranged mooring spot. There were two spaces on the 48hr moorings, however had we not organised one, they would have been full I am sure.
2009 Totals – Locks 192; Miles 356; Bus pass uses 4.
