Saturday 9th May, Above Days Lock, Dorchester.
Our first chat of today was with the Iffley lock keeper; we set the world to rights in about 35 minutes, why do governments take any longer? From him, Myra discovered that the lock keeper at Sandford, Andy, is teaching himself the Concertina. I knew that this would mean another long, slow descent in the lock whilst the two of them compared notes.
I was correct, but it was fairly sunny and not cold, I was happy to gaze around do nothing in particular until they had finished.
On the reach down to Abingdon, five narrowboats and a wide beam boat passed us heading in the other direction. Two had Kennet & Avon canal locations on the sides, possibly on their way to the Oxford canal and the remainder of the canal system.
We tied up above Abingdon lock, to hear the sound of amplified music from the grass area below the lock. Roger, the lock keeper told us that there was ‘some sort of do with horrible music and dragon boat racing later on’.
We did not require any further information, we decided to move on and moor above Days lock, all ready to visit the Dorchester Abbey Tea rooms on Sunday.
We spent the evening with the group of 13 on the four rowing skiffs, one of whom was celebrating her 67th birthday with a barbecue on the grass. On Friday evening whilst they were camped above Sandford lock, some yobs damaged on of the tents and then jumped on it, fortunately missing the occupant. More evidence in favour of contraception, albeit some years too late.
2009 Totals – Locks 166; Miles 263; Bus pass uses 2.
Saturday, 9 May 2009
Friday, 8 May 2009
More wind anyone?
Friday 8th May, Christchurch Meadow, Oxford.
Starting at 7.45am before the lock keepers start work, we have to operate Pinkhill Lock ourselves; Myra walked down to get it ready. It was just as well. There were four camping skiffs tied up taking all the length of the lock mooring. She could not have got off the boat without us risking serious damage to the skiffs from our 14 tons of steel being blown sideways onto them. I managed to lasso the back dolly of a moored narrowboat on the other side of the lock approach; holding back until Myra commandeered some of the campers to open the other gate for us. They helped with the sluices and gates and we were soon on our way towards Eynsham.
What is it with Myra, myself and Martlet? Have we replaced the RSPCA as floating animal welfare officers? We came around a sharp bend close to Eynsham Bridge and there it was: another animal in the water, this time a lamb swimming in the middle of the river and bleating for all it was worth.
Here we go again – Myra yelling at me DO NOT DO YOUR BACK IN, BE CAREFUL.
Backing Martlet up, I managed to use the wind and the boat to shoo the lamb towards the river bank by gently nudging it in that direction. There was a narrowboat moored close by, I tied to the back of it making a triangle with the bank, by which time the lamb was against the bank, but unable to get out. I got onto the bank and bending down, grabbed a handful of woolly scruff of neck with one hand and one fore leg with the other. A quick two six and the lamb was back on land. After a moment gathering itself, it wandered off to find mum who was not far away and was walking towards the lamb.
A good result, albeit a bit emotional as far as I was concerned.
Down through Eynsham Lock and heavy, squally showers of rain for the three miles to Kings Lock. We stopped and chatted to the relief keeper whilst another squall passed by.
We carried on through Godstow Lock and were heading along Port meadow; I looked over my shoulder and the sky was very dark and threatening. It would take about 40 minutes to Osney where we intended stopping for lunch. The squall seemed to be about 10 minutes away at most; when it arrived, just for a change it consisted mainly of hail!
Passing along the Sheepwash channel I saw a heavily camoflaged boat; an attempt at licence evasion?
By the time we had moored, it was a clear, sunny day. Our Great British weather.
We had two excellent meals in the Waterman’s Arms and then moved down to the tranquillity of Christchurch meadow for overnight mooring. Watching the rowing eights and fours practising, and later, the crews walking back along the riverside as dusk was falling: I wondered how many of them realise how fortunate that they are to be there.
2009 Totals – Locks 161; Miles 247; Bus pass uses 2.
Starting at 7.45am before the lock keepers start work, we have to operate Pinkhill Lock ourselves; Myra walked down to get it ready. It was just as well. There were four camping skiffs tied up taking all the length of the lock mooring. She could not have got off the boat without us risking serious damage to the skiffs from our 14 tons of steel being blown sideways onto them. I managed to lasso the back dolly of a moored narrowboat on the other side of the lock approach; holding back until Myra commandeered some of the campers to open the other gate for us. They helped with the sluices and gates and we were soon on our way towards Eynsham.
What is it with Myra, myself and Martlet? Have we replaced the RSPCA as floating animal welfare officers? We came around a sharp bend close to Eynsham Bridge and there it was: another animal in the water, this time a lamb swimming in the middle of the river and bleating for all it was worth.
Here we go again – Myra yelling at me DO NOT DO YOUR BACK IN, BE CAREFUL.
Backing Martlet up, I managed to use the wind and the boat to shoo the lamb towards the river bank by gently nudging it in that direction. There was a narrowboat moored close by, I tied to the back of it making a triangle with the bank, by which time the lamb was against the bank, but unable to get out. I got onto the bank and bending down, grabbed a handful of woolly scruff of neck with one hand and one fore leg with the other. A quick two six and the lamb was back on land. After a moment gathering itself, it wandered off to find mum who was not far away and was walking towards the lamb.
A good result, albeit a bit emotional as far as I was concerned.
Down through Eynsham Lock and heavy, squally showers of rain for the three miles to Kings Lock. We stopped and chatted to the relief keeper whilst another squall passed by.
We carried on through Godstow Lock and were heading along Port meadow; I looked over my shoulder and the sky was very dark and threatening. It would take about 40 minutes to Osney where we intended stopping for lunch. The squall seemed to be about 10 minutes away at most; when it arrived, just for a change it consisted mainly of hail!
Passing along the Sheepwash channel I saw a heavily camoflaged boat; an attempt at licence evasion?
By the time we had moored, it was a clear, sunny day. Our Great British weather.
We had two excellent meals in the Waterman’s Arms and then moved down to the tranquillity of Christchurch meadow for overnight mooring. Watching the rowing eights and fours practising, and later, the crews walking back along the riverside as dusk was falling: I wondered how many of them realise how fortunate that they are to be there.
2009 Totals – Locks 161; Miles 247; Bus pass uses 2.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
We are not alone
Thursday 7th May, above Pinkhill Lock.
Last evening, we walked to Rushey Lock and spoke to Graham, the keeper who will be retiring next year. He told us that his weir had only two paddles out of 34 open; in his experience this is not a good sign this early in the year. The ground is so dry that it will take a lot of rain before any run off into the rivers will occur.
He has kept all manner of Peacocks, Guinea Fowl, and has great knowlege and love of the river and the surrounding countryside. We enjoyed listening to him; on our way back, we saw a Kingfisher hovering in mid river just where the weir stream goes off, he then flew downstream and out of sight.
Today, I waited until the rain petered out before moving off, the rest of the day was bright but with a very cold westerly wind. Passing under Tadpole Bridge I met the first oncoming boat right on the sharp bend; this was to be the order of the day. The next three boats were all met on blind, right angle bends! We saw 8 boats on the move today, more than we had seen since leaving Teddington; the sole exception being the Bank Holiday Monday.
We were not in a hurry, which was just as well as the relief keeper at Northmoor was more intent on finishing a conversation with a group of walkers than he was of operating the lock. He was not in a good mood and barely spoke as we locked through, obviously our magnetic personalities had repelled him.
We stopped briefly at Bablock Hythe to have our lunch; moving on to Pinkhill Lock where we moored behind a wide beam boat ‘Thamesis’ that we had seen at Lechlade.
We spent a couple of hours on board with the owners Jim and Angela; they then joined us on Martlet for the evening and enjoyed a good old chinwag.
2009 Totals – Locks 156; Miles 238.5; Bus pass uses 2.
Last evening, we walked to Rushey Lock and spoke to Graham, the keeper who will be retiring next year. He told us that his weir had only two paddles out of 34 open; in his experience this is not a good sign this early in the year. The ground is so dry that it will take a lot of rain before any run off into the rivers will occur.
He has kept all manner of Peacocks, Guinea Fowl, and has great knowlege and love of the river and the surrounding countryside. We enjoyed listening to him; on our way back, we saw a Kingfisher hovering in mid river just where the weir stream goes off, he then flew downstream and out of sight.
Today, I waited until the rain petered out before moving off, the rest of the day was bright but with a very cold westerly wind. Passing under Tadpole Bridge I met the first oncoming boat right on the sharp bend; this was to be the order of the day. The next three boats were all met on blind, right angle bends! We saw 8 boats on the move today, more than we had seen since leaving Teddington; the sole exception being the Bank Holiday Monday.
We were not in a hurry, which was just as well as the relief keeper at Northmoor was more intent on finishing a conversation with a group of walkers than he was of operating the lock. He was not in a good mood and barely spoke as we locked through, obviously our magnetic personalities had repelled him.
We stopped briefly at Bablock Hythe to have our lunch; moving on to Pinkhill Lock where we moored behind a wide beam boat ‘Thamesis’ that we had seen at Lechlade.
We spent a couple of hours on board with the owners Jim and Angela; they then joined us on Martlet for the evening and enjoyed a good old chinwag.
2009 Totals – Locks 156; Miles 238.5; Bus pass uses 2.
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Green to green, red to red.....................
Wednesday 6th May, above Rushey Lock
The wind became so strong yesterday afternoon, that I moved the boat just around the corner where some trees on the opposite bank provied shelter – what a difference, the grass was hardly moving although the noise in the trees was quite something.
This morning at 9.05am, it was still blowing very hard as we cast off for Grafton Lock, one mile downstream where we passed the time of day with Keith the lock keeper who had given us some Rhubarb on our way up. (it was delicious)
He will be retiring in two years time and it will certainly be a wrench for him to leave his cottage, isolated it may be, but that suits him just fine with his waterproofed Land Rover for access during the flooded days. He has worn wellingtons when driving before now as the water has been over the Land Rover floor.
Under the narrow arch of Radcot Bridge; it was interesting with the strong wind and current from behind us. Emerging on the other side we met Gresham, a shared ownership narrowboat that was preparing to move off; we would wait at Radcot lock for them.
The relief keeper there asked me where in Derbyshire we came from, as his mother in law lives in Buxton.
We suggested to the crew of Gresham that they could leave the lock before us, as we were mooring before the next one. As things transpired, it was a good decision.
I was following them around the many twists and turns that the Thames insists on making between these two locks. I noticed that they had gone around a bend and come to an abrupt stop. Approaching them at a slow speed, I saw that they had passed a Red navigation buoy on the right hand side when travelling downstream: not a good idea as they had verified that it was indeed shoal between the buoy and the river bank.
They had their propeller in reverse, but could not get the boat to move back at all; they had been going quite fast when they ran aground.
I managed to stop, back up and move our fore end slowly to the back end of their boat where Myra took their rope, passed it around our T stud and gave it back. I reversed Martlet, our oversized propeller and Yanmar engine did the trick, pulling them well back in order to clear the buoy on the correct side.
They went on their way; we moored up shortly after and waited in vain for the sunny afternoon promised by the Met office. I wonder, does the trade descriptions act apply to weather forecasts?
2009 Totals – Locks 154; Miles 230.5; Bus pass uses 2.
The wind became so strong yesterday afternoon, that I moved the boat just around the corner where some trees on the opposite bank provied shelter – what a difference, the grass was hardly moving although the noise in the trees was quite something.
This morning at 9.05am, it was still blowing very hard as we cast off for Grafton Lock, one mile downstream where we passed the time of day with Keith the lock keeper who had given us some Rhubarb on our way up. (it was delicious)
He will be retiring in two years time and it will certainly be a wrench for him to leave his cottage, isolated it may be, but that suits him just fine with his waterproofed Land Rover for access during the flooded days. He has worn wellingtons when driving before now as the water has been over the Land Rover floor.
Under the narrow arch of Radcot Bridge; it was interesting with the strong wind and current from behind us. Emerging on the other side we met Gresham, a shared ownership narrowboat that was preparing to move off; we would wait at Radcot lock for them.
The relief keeper there asked me where in Derbyshire we came from, as his mother in law lives in Buxton.
We suggested to the crew of Gresham that they could leave the lock before us, as we were mooring before the next one. As things transpired, it was a good decision.
I was following them around the many twists and turns that the Thames insists on making between these two locks. I noticed that they had gone around a bend and come to an abrupt stop. Approaching them at a slow speed, I saw that they had passed a Red navigation buoy on the right hand side when travelling downstream: not a good idea as they had verified that it was indeed shoal between the buoy and the river bank.
They had their propeller in reverse, but could not get the boat to move back at all; they had been going quite fast when they ran aground.
I managed to stop, back up and move our fore end slowly to the back end of their boat where Myra took their rope, passed it around our T stud and gave it back. I reversed Martlet, our oversized propeller and Yanmar engine did the trick, pulling them well back in order to clear the buoy on the correct side.
They went on their way; we moored up shortly after and waited in vain for the sunny afternoon promised by the Met office. I wonder, does the trade descriptions act apply to weather forecasts?
2009 Totals – Locks 154; Miles 230.5; Bus pass uses 2.
Chatting again
Tuesday, 5th May, Kelmscott
We had a wander around Lechlade, with the intention of visiting the local butchers shop and browsing in the Antiques centre, where I usually manage to find a few books that are of interest. In the Butchers, they had a selection of sausage rolls, pasties and pies that looked quite good. Under questioning by Myra, the young girl assistant admitted that the pastries had not been baked that morning; being the day after the Bank Holiday weekend they must have been at least made on Saturday, possible even Friday.
We decided to forget that idea and go looking for books instead; calling in at the local Londis store as we were passing.
The Antiques centre was open, but it contained less items than on our previous visit two years ago, however, I did buy two books.
We returned to Martlet and moved off in very windy conditions; it took no time to turn the boat around with the help of the wind and arrived at St. John’s Lock just as Pete the keeper returned from weir duty at Grafton. We chatted to him for a while and having sorted out the problems of the country, went down to Buscot Lock where we had a longer chat to the keeper, John. He had been the owner of a lovely wooden boat named Popocatepetl, which he had sold three years ago and we had seen at Horton Lock on our way to Brentford.
We were virtually blown down to Kelmscott, where we moored up.
Keith and his friend David in Nb Halcyon passed us on their way upstream, they were the only boat that we had seen moving all day.
2009 Totals – Locks 152; Miles 225; Bus pass uses 2.
We had a wander around Lechlade, with the intention of visiting the local butchers shop and browsing in the Antiques centre, where I usually manage to find a few books that are of interest. In the Butchers, they had a selection of sausage rolls, pasties and pies that looked quite good. Under questioning by Myra, the young girl assistant admitted that the pastries had not been baked that morning; being the day after the Bank Holiday weekend they must have been at least made on Saturday, possible even Friday.
We decided to forget that idea and go looking for books instead; calling in at the local Londis store as we were passing.
The Antiques centre was open, but it contained less items than on our previous visit two years ago, however, I did buy two books.
We returned to Martlet and moved off in very windy conditions; it took no time to turn the boat around with the help of the wind and arrived at St. John’s Lock just as Pete the keeper returned from weir duty at Grafton. We chatted to him for a while and having sorted out the problems of the country, went down to Buscot Lock where we had a longer chat to the keeper, John. He had been the owner of a lovely wooden boat named Popocatepetl, which he had sold three years ago and we had seen at Horton Lock on our way to Brentford.
We were virtually blown down to Kelmscott, where we moored up.
Keith and his friend David in Nb Halcyon passed us on their way upstream, they were the only boat that we had seen moving all day.
2009 Totals – Locks 152; Miles 225; Bus pass uses 2.
Monday, 4 May 2009
Farewell to Lechlade
Monday evening, 4th May, Lechlade.
It was a good day for February, very hazy sun and a bitter wind. Rain for some 30 minutes after Rushey Lock, the a few spots now and then.
Arriving at Radcot lock, it was on self operation and some five cruisers were coming into to go down.Myra went up with Caleb and Madeleine.
No one from any of the boats spoke or came to do anything. I would have stood and watched the lazy so and so's, but Myra allowed the children to open the sluices. Caleb managed one on his own, the gate was still closed and still no one did anything. Myra called Caleb to the other side and eventually, a man from the first boat went up and opened the gate.
It would seem that lack of consideration for others is not limited to the canals.
This lack has also resulted in the imposition of a £4 per night mooring charge at Lechlade, on the large meadow that was free until May 2008. Apart from the dosser boats housing the great unwashed and mostly unlicensed; other boats had been left unattended for long periods. One was there for 7 weeks. Thanks: yet again the thoughtless actions of the few have resulted in the majority having being penalised.
The farmer was allegedly told by the EA that they could not enforce any overstaying rules and the only available solution was for him to levy a charge.
We will be saying goodbye to Lechlade tomorrow; over the years we have become used to staying here for two or three days and looking around the lovely town. We will not be returning.
2009 Totals - Locks 148; Miles 231; Bus pass uses 2.
It was a good day for February, very hazy sun and a bitter wind. Rain for some 30 minutes after Rushey Lock, the a few spots now and then.
Arriving at Radcot lock, it was on self operation and some five cruisers were coming into to go down.Myra went up with Caleb and Madeleine.
No one from any of the boats spoke or came to do anything. I would have stood and watched the lazy so and so's, but Myra allowed the children to open the sluices. Caleb managed one on his own, the gate was still closed and still no one did anything. Myra called Caleb to the other side and eventually, a man from the first boat went up and opened the gate.
It would seem that lack of consideration for others is not limited to the canals.
This lack has also resulted in the imposition of a £4 per night mooring charge at Lechlade, on the large meadow that was free until May 2008. Apart from the dosser boats housing the great unwashed and mostly unlicensed; other boats had been left unattended for long periods. One was there for 7 weeks. Thanks: yet again the thoughtless actions of the few have resulted in the majority having being penalised.
The farmer was allegedly told by the EA that they could not enforce any overstaying rules and the only available solution was for him to levy a charge.
We will be saying goodbye to Lechlade tomorrow; over the years we have become used to staying here for two or three days and looking around the lovely town. We will not be returning.
2009 Totals - Locks 148; Miles 231; Bus pass uses 2.
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