Friday 15th May, Above Pinkhill Lock
The heavy overnight rain did produce an increase in the level of the river – of one inch!
The ground had been so dry, that a lot of the rain was simply absorbed; we had apparently some 18mm (3/4 inch). At Benson over the same period, they had 63mm (nearly 2 ½ inches). At least I was not standing out in it.
Exciting things were planned for this morning, empty the Porta-Potti and then some diesel. They were very honest at Eynsham in pointing out that their diesel had been bought when prices were high; the base price was 85p, with the 60/40 split it worked out at 110p. We bought 30litres; this will be enough to get us to Banbury after the Bank holiday where it is a lot cheaper.
We passed some time with Tim Brown, the lock keeper at Pinkhill; he showed me his copy of ‘The weir and lock keeper’s lament’, a parody on ‘Death in Leamington’. It had been sent to him by Roger, the lock keeper at Abingdon. I had fun constructing it, intended as a bit of nonsense; it is nice if it produces a smile or two.
We moored on the visitor moorings below Farmoor reservoir; after lunch, I had finished filling the stern tube greaser when it began to rain.
We had a walk along the nature reserve and back by the reservoir when the rain eventually stopped after supper; there was a barn owl hunting along the foot of the embankment as we made our way back to the boat. The wind had got up again, I think that we have had our share for this year, perhaps it will moderate tomorrow.
2009 Totals – Locks 172; Miles 303; Bus pass uses 2.
