On awakening, the sun was climbing slowly above the trees surrounding the Clifton weir stream and with the traces of cirrus clouds in evidence; the hint was there. Get moving before the clouds build up and the sun disappears. Breakfast over, we did just that at 6.55am. It was a perfect start to the day which had an autumnal feel, with the water at Clifton Hampden shrouded in mist as we slipped slowly past.
We were not alone; a solitary Heron was attempting to blend with the branch sticking out of the water. He failed, but produced an interesting photographic subject for me.
A narrowboat had passed us last night at 9.30pm, no lights showing; it was probably one of the number of unlicensed boats that move after the lock keepers have gone off duty.
He left the lower gates open at Clifton and Days locks, the lazy so and so.
The EA seem to have taken a leaf out of the gospel according to British Waterways and do virtually nothing about them. We have not seen a River Patrol launch moving this year and neither have any other boaters to whom we have spoken.
Passing through Wallingford, the town moorings both sides of the river were full up; proving that the new ones on the East side were needed.
We had been moored at Moulsford for about an hour when the Sun finally gave up and went behind the clouds.
