Pinkhill Lock; Friday 26th June
I had looked at three weather forecasts last night, in an effort to keep dry when boating today. I could have saved time and effort by flipping a coin (second residence flipping is so passé), heads for moving before lunch etc. All three were wrong. Later, speaking to Paul Brown at Shifford lock (after the cloudburst!), his EA forecast was for rain in the morning and dry in the afternoon. I realise now that weather forecasts have their own style of freemasonry and that I am, as an outsider, destined to get wet now and again.
Approaching Ten Foot Bridge, I looked ahead and the trees were rapidly disappearing in mist. Five minutes later, rain drops the size of small hailstones were rapidly disappearing into the surface of the river, apart from where my body and Martlet prevented them. I was grateful that my hat had a good sized brim; at least half the rain dropping off it missed my eyes. I tied the boat up for fifteen minutes until the heavy rain had stopped.
Approaching Northmoor lock, two helicopters seemed to be heading straight for us; fortunately, they began to climb and passed behind us. Thinking about it, it should have been obvious that we were not the target; I could not hear the ‘Ride of the Valkyries’.
Below the lock, I saw an Egret, which immediately took flight and was doing circuits and bumps in front of us for the next two miles. We moored at Pinkhill by 1pm and will remain here tonight.
2009 Totals: 274 Locks – 587.5 miles – 14 Bus pass uses
