Wednesday 3rd June. Wallingford, River Thames.
The colours seemed very vivid as the sun had not risen above the trees opposite Beale Park. We started off heading into a chilly wind at 7.40am. There were Grebes and their young, various geese with theirs as well as families of ducks. We were passing through a floating kindergarten, the young almost flying along on the surface when they realised that they had dropped behind. It made us smile which always is a good way to begin the day.
Goring lock which was set for user operation, we therefore used our system. Myra gets off and when the boat is in the lock, she takes the front rope and makes it fast to a bollard. She then goes to the front gate control panel. By then I have lassoed a bollard at the rear, and also climb off. I go back, close the gates and lower the sluices. She then opens the other sluices as I control the boat, rising or falling, on the back rope. This works well for us and reduces the amount of unwanted movement of the boat.
We filled the water tank at Cleeve lock and then headed for Wallingford. We broke the journey at Moulsford, calling in at Sheridan Marine for a spare control cable to replace the one fitted by River Canal Rescue. Everyone was friendly, really helpful and good humoured, and the cable was in stock. On our last visit, we must have caught them on a bad day.
We moored at Wallingford and went for a wander around after lunch. We were looking down an alleyway when Myra saw two Blood transfusion service vans parked. She was going to call in at the Oxford Donating centre before we leave the area; she followed the signs and made her 80th donation today. She has four different donation cards and numbers as she has gives blood wherever we happen to be and none of the areas could talk to each other. Today, she had none of the cards with her; the nurse found the details both of Myra and her donations immediately on the computer. Myra had been writing and telephoning the Blood service for at least six years trying to make thing easier when donating in different places, to no avail. At one time, she held six cards! It would seem that things have improved at last; her next donation in another location will prove it one way or the other.
2009 Totals – Locks 216; Miles 425.5; Bus pass uses 8
