Bristol Bound? Bah!! Both Barrys Bathward! 

11 October 2007

"Serious crash on the M1, 10 cars 1 coach involved. Fire in Cassio Road, Watford, North Circular Road static with diverted traffic"--the litany went on and on. Yet Barry, with his customary tenacity, still managed to arrive at my place by 09:15 and shortly after that we were away to the boat.

                H.N.A's wharf was busy with a day trip run by Laurie and Reg departing as we loaded up. We winded without incident at Coppermill and at 10:30, set off Brentford-bound, accompanied by "Spirit" who had winded at the stink'ole and come back downstream. They were going to the "Horse and Barge" for lunch and a drink, so we enjoyed their company until Widewater Lock. Just about three hours saw us at Cowley where we filled the water tank and resumed our journey, knowing that Brentford would only be reached after the light had gone.

                 Indeed it was about 19:25 as we tied outside the gauging locks and watched my new flat-screen telly, courtesy of money earned filming Mamma Mia. Afterwards we repaired to  "The Magpie and Crown," liaising with Phil and Di, where we had some 'Slug Porter' and 'Fruli' followed by an excellent Thai meal.

12 October 2007

Oh no! The toilet is refusing to play again. I discovered this in the small hours and we spent what should have been E-mail time taking the loo apart in an effort to pin down the fault. Talking to 'Lee Sanitation' on the phone, they are convinced that we have a blockage between loo and holding tank--we'll see. We set off onto The Thames at 14:30 as scheduled and had another niggly fault develop momentarily at Teddington. Trying to start up after obtaining tide-times from the lock office, the electrics suddenly cut out, necessitating a jiggle of the wires in the engine compartment! We pushed on in the gathering gloom and managed East Molesey and Sunbury Locks before stopping for the night at "The Weir"--great pub, good food and a varied selection of dogs.

13 October 2007

The constancy of the noise of the weir opposite "The Weir" brought sleep very easily, but by 06:00 I was awake and stepped outside onto the front deck to a very dry but still dark world. Normally the boat would have been covered in dew but there was no evidence of it at all!

                 Back to bed for a snooze, I eventually rose an hour later and made the cup that cheers! We moved on at 08:30 with Staines being our immediate target for the library, D-I-Y shop and Sainsbury's. After our e-mailing it was 15:00 and the toilet curing still awaited. It's best to draw a veil over the next couple of hours but suffice it to say that Barry eventually solved the problem [what would I do without him?]--an air-lock of minuscule proportions but sufficient to prevent trips to 'Barking Creek' by the contents! 

                  With incredible relief [] we re-built the toilet area and sat back to enjoy a pint of 'Duchy Original' too late to move on now-but who cares? Tomorrow, as they say, is another day!

14 October 2007

Another very mild night and a bone-dry boat once more. I've never experienced these conditions before but it's very pleasant not to have to wipe down all the surfaces. I showered following cups of tea and Barry followed suit when we moved off at 08:30. He just finished abluting in time to help at Bell Weir Lock. Noon saw us moored in our regular [Jenning's Wharf] spot at Windsor where the renowned 'Barry fry-up' appeared for the first time this holiday. I fished to no avail and watched the world go by while Barry busied himself in the galley.

                Moving on at 13:15, Barry steered while I washed up. More glorious sunshine through Bray, Boulter's and Cookham Locks with the T° just turning slightly chilly as we moored for the night below Marlow Lock at Marlow Pound Meadow.

15 October 2007

We negotiated Marlow Lock just as it opened for the day at 09:00-in fact Barry started the lock procedure by hand. This convinced the lockie to emerge from his house and turn on the electrics!

                 In cloudy, warm conditions Temple, Hurley and Hambleden Locks were passed through and Henley Library was visited in warm sunshine. We got fish and chips from the chippy on Friday Street  and repaired to the boat, moored immediately upstream of Henley Bridge, to get outside said repast.

                With the inner men thus filled, Marsh, Shiplake and Sonning Locks came and went and at exactly 17:00, Kennet Mouth was entered. We tackled Blake's Lock then 'The Gut' round to County Lock and called it a day above Fobney Lock at 18:15.

                 Fun and games were had re-tuning the telly as we had moved out of the London transmission area.  It was all done automatically and the resultant pictures are great! 

Phew! Coronation Street is safe!

16 October  2007

A good kip and off at 09:15. Our first target of the day was Tyle Mill Lock where water was taken on, rubbish was taken off, swing bridges were moved and locks entered and left.

The promised rain was, in our case, very feeble otherwise bright and sunny!  Along the water Barry suddenly spotted a large fallow deer majestically bounding along in a field on our right. coming to a high fence the deer cleared it with ease--a marvellous sight indeed!               The favourable weather  made the many swing bridges and, at Aldermaston, a lift bridge--a pleasure to operate rather than a chore.  16:30 saw us at Midgham where Nicholson's showed two pubs not far from the water. We chose "The Burghfield arms" for an excellent repast, Beef and Ale Pie for me, steak and trimmings for Barry. Two pints of 'Swoosh' helped it all go down. A walk back to the boat in fine drizzle in time for 'Who wants to be a millionaire?'

17 October  2007

Where do I start? Oh yes, we moved on at 09:15 and reached Old Monkey Marsh Lock by 11:10. Whilst in the lock the propeller seemed to be labouring so outside the lock I had the weedhatch up and sure enough, a healthy collection of plastic bags awaited removal. This done we moved off towards Long Cut Swing Bridge only for there to be an enormous vibration from the engine 'ole.

                 Pulling in to the bridge approach, we opened the deck covers to reveal the nightmare. The flexible coupling between prop-shaft and gearbox is held together by four studs, two of which had dropped out into the sump a third had jammed between gearbox and joint, causing a deep groove in the gearbox casing! The last one was valiantly in place but loose. What caused all this was a mystery but the effects weren't. It was 11:30, various phone calls [at exorbitant rates] were made and we hoped for a boat going our way to tow us to The Newbury Boat Company at Greenham Lock, Newbury.

                 After two hours or so, a boat! Deep Joy! We breasted up and finally got underway again, only for 'Gospel Belle' steered by Pete [a vicar] to break down itself after only 250 yards. So, from 13:40 to 17:00, in admittedly warm sunshine, I flitted between the two boats, mine to eat the fry-up that Barry had just cooked before Gospel Belle hove into view, and Pete's boat to give moral support as he toiled ceaselessly to try and diagnose his breakdown.

In checking his diesel lines he inadvertently damaged his lift-pump beyond repair so he's stuck until tomorrow, when a replacement pump can be fitted. Meanwhile Barry and I laboriously bow-hauled the boat up towards Widmead Lock. We could see the lock from our enforced breakdown location all afternoon, but after an hour of backbreaking effort, were still short of the lock by about 200 yards. We called it a day at 18:30 and hope for a rescue boat/repair job tomorrow--I'll keep you posted. 

18 October 2007

We slept well--probably 'coz there was no reason to be in a rush! Mind you, after dying until 04:30 when the loo beckoned, I found it hard to get off again.

                 Around 10:30 Barry set off into Newbury for some milk and soup and also to ascertain what help could be had from the boatyard. He took 40 minutes to get there, giving me one ring to let me know. I felt totally frustrated-I had to stay with the boat in case an 'uphiller' came by and eventually, at 13:00 Mick and Ruth on 'Kennerley' proved to be our saviours. They deposited us outside the the boatyard by 15:05 and I arranged  to meet with John Hutley, the engineer, in a couple of hours when he'd got back from Devizes.

                We caught up with our e-mails at the library and then John fitted some new bolts to the flexible joint sealed with 'Loctite.'

                   £50 lighter, we repaired to 'The Curry Garden' in town--but I'm not telling you what sort of meal we had! Back to the boat by 21:30 we both felt whacked and were in bed asleep within the hour.

19 October 2007

We both slept like tops despite yesterday not involving much effort [apart from Barry's feet.]

With no hot water to speak of, neither of us had showers and were moving by 08:30. The front of the boat was dry and the back covered in hard frost--weird!

                 Through West Mills, Barry was impressed with its picturesque qualities, we came across a major footbridge replacement programme involving a huge crane. Although it was very sunny, the blokes working on the structure were very cold in the shade.

                at Kintbury we watered up and rubbished out and reached Hungerford by 14:15 where we hoped to e-mail but were stymied by the fact that the library was being rebuilt!

                Pushing on by 15:15 after a short spell of fishing, catching only ruffe [like a perch without stripes, it brought on the inevitable  jokes about earning his stripes and the rough side of town etc. etc.] I had reckoned on reaching Little Bedwyn before darkness fell. This indeed we did, spotting a couple of Muntjac deer along the way, only to find that we had no telephone signal. no TV reception and 'The Harrow' pub was now an upmarket restaurant requiring a pint of blood for the smallest item on the menu! [They had no free tables tonight anyway!]

                 They recommended 'The Pelican' back in Froxfield which would have involved a 3 mile walk in the pitch-black--I don't think so, do you?

                  The owner of the property adjacent to the boat, volunteered the information that a phone signal could be obtained by standing atop the very tall railway bridge.

 This we did and it worked a treat, and we duly made our calls successfully. Back on board our old standby the fry-up was the order of the day!  

20 October 2007

A very hard frost greeted me today as I set up the fishing gear, but the sun was working  on it even as the first of a couple of bream came to the net and, when we set off at 09:30 there were large patches of dampness where only minutes before had been white crystals. A dog walker informed us that Potter's Lock, 2 up from our overnight mooring, afforded a splendid view and TV reception--he was right!

                 We fell into a pattern of Barry doing ½ dozen locks, then me doing seven and finally Barry doing the final four to Wootton Rivers where we entered the 15 mile pound, spotting a fox having forty winks on an embankment, that will take us eventually to Devizes. Stopping at Pewsey Wharf we were disappointed with the TV reception—ZILCH, but happy with the excellent meal in the bistro on the wharf. I had mushroom and bacon homemade quiche and Barry a gammon steak with all the trimmings. Fishing was as good as the TV reception!  

21 October 2007

09:45 saw us pulling away from Pewsey Wharf, having watered up after both showering. We were just in time 'coz a boat came from behind us wanting water too. A lovely day with especially lovely views, Picked Hill and The White Horse of Wiltshire being the best. at noon we'd tied to the visitor moorings at All Cannings--perfect peace if you discounted the generator on a boat beyond the bridge! The fishing didn't match up to last year [see:- Singlehanded Sojourn elsewhere]  so we repaired to 'The King's arms' for a magnificent roast meal--me beef, Barry lamb. A slow stroll back to the boat through this fabulous, very ancient village. We got some eggs from a farmhouse and I fished again until 14:50 when we set off in warm conditions for Devizes, arriving at the wharf by 17:30--a good day all round!

                 I've numbered the bridges from Pewsey to Devizes as Nicholson's only give their names, the bridges merely display their numbers! 

22 October 2007

A few roach this morning before walking into town for the library and e-mails. On the way back Barry replenished supplies at Sainsbury's and I replenished funds at Barclays, having visited Tesco's for the new Van Morrison double CD and splashed out on two pairs of shorts for the exorbitant price of £1 each! at 11:45 we moved on from the wharf and were faced with the first of the Caen Hill flight of locks just five minutes later. Five hours later we were at the bottom of the flight , having beaten Caen Hill into submission.

 Just another few locks, bringing the day's total to 32 [!] saw us moor outside 'The Barge' at Seend Cleeve and a welcome meal of 6X pie for me and Cajun chicken for Barry.  A good telly night followed, then teddies and dum-dums! 

23 October 2007

Hoping for some decent fish this morning but only small skimmer bream came to the maggots. Changing to cheese brought a bigger bream but time was pressing and we had to move on. Only this morning I noticed a waterpoint opposite the boat, so we both showered then poled the boat over to the tap and topped up, moving on at 10:45.  Unlike yesterday we had few locks to contend with and fewer swingbridges. The weathermen tell us that today's sun is probably the last for some time so we made the most of it!  

                 Bradford-on-Avon provided a few people gongoozling at its solitary lock, contrasting with the vast lengths of towpath populated only by grass and trees and, at Cork hill Wood, near Limpley Stoke, a Muntjac deer busily foraging on the slopes. We tied at Bathampton outside 'The George' by 17:20. I fished with no takers until dark. at 19:30 we went to the pub for a very filling meal and back to the boat by 21:00 for coffee and telly.

24 October 2007

We arrived at Bath by 13:00. Tied up, we moved off into the touristy parts and found the library above 'The Podium' almost immediately. Unbelievably, there was a charge involved so we swiftly moved on. Dispiritedly, I wandered into a T-shirt shop and asked the girl behind the counter if there was a place that allowed Internet access without charge? There was , 'The Bell' on Walcot Street, a great pub, real ales, great music, exclusive pizzas etc. etc. I was able to catch up on E-mails et al and Barry was able to indulge as well. A place to remember, Fleur, the barmaid, lives on a Dutch Barge with hubby and two kids. We chatted for ages.  The beer included 'Empire' 'Otter' and 'Lightning' The clientèle were definitely all 'left field' an interesting mix. Amongst the laptoppers, for the place was Wi-Fied as well, there was even a small launderette! Great! Back to the boat feeling decidedly squiffy and settled down for the night in front of the telly.

25 October 2007

Whilst having tea this morning I noticed we had a visitor--a black cat with a white chin walking down the offside gunnel. Barry was just too slow to see him as he ran down towards the back of the boat but he came back the other way a few minutes later and Barry stuck his head out of the sliding window by his bed head, only for the cat to take fright and fall off the gunnel into the fast-flowing Avon! I rushed outside in my bath towel to see if I could effect a rescue--it wasn't necessary. He was already up on the bank---how, I don't know! He was looking decidedly unimpressed and sleekly wet.

                 I walked into town to Halfords for some anti-freeze and WD40. On my return Barry went to the entrance lock to the Kennet and Avon canal to prepare for the boat's return journey to Harefield. I set off at 09:50 and entered the canal at 10:00 precisely. The Widcombe Flight took us over 90 minutes. We had boats coming down but not at the right times to suit our passage. A good run through to the Dundas aqueduct where I had 45 minutes fishing and we were buzzed by a low-flying Hercules plane. 

   

We passed a boat with a blackboard for a name plate--yesterday it was called 'F**k Off Back To Ikea' and today 'Cinema Tonight' what a novelty!

                  Another good run to the lock at Bradford on Avon where we had to queue for over an hour. All the hire boats are due back to base tomorrow and we caught up with them all  seemingly. 

                   Eventually we got going again but all thoughts of 'The Barge' at Seend Cleeve had dissipated and we settled for 'The King's Arms' at Hilperton instead. Great gammon steak for both of us.

26 October 2007

A very dull start to the day with rain expected any minute. 09:10 came and we went, tackling two locks at Semington and longingly looking at the entrance to the derelict Wilts. and Berks. canal that could take us through to Abingdon on the Thames if only it was restored! But no, in 3 swingbridges and 4 locks'  time the Caen Hill monster, slumbered patiently, awaiting our feeble assault on its majesty. The rain never materialised, in fact the sun came out in force causing Barry to perform a slow striptease as the mercury climbed the tubes. The clear blue sky showed up a pair of Herculi flying over on manoeuvres from RAF Lyneham, making four days in a row that we've seen these leviathans of the air.

                We got jammed in a narrower-than-normal lock alongside a holiday boat due to a lozenge fender that was hanging from their port side. Judicious flushing by opening the top two paddles eventually set us free, enabling us to proceed and beard the lion in his den, entering lock 22 by 12:40. 18:00 brought us to Devizes Wharf past lock 50, but we had to back up 100 yards or so to find an empty mooring. After Corry we made our way into town and got outside some curry--lovely!

                 Back on board a mild night ensued but we were zonked out as befits a pair who've got through 36 locks and a handful of swingbridges.

27 October 2007

I set the alarm for 07:00 so's we could get abluted and ready for the library at 09:00. Duly ensconced at our terminals we both caught up with our E-mails and journals. I bought some maggots on the way back to the boat and Barry got some milk, bread and a TV guide.

                 Setting off at 10 :30, Barry made some sausage sarnies that went down a treat as Bishop's Cannings floated by. We stopped at All Cannings for an hour's fishing--total blank--very disappointing. at Honey Street we watered up and steadily chugged to Pewsey and beyond, suffering greatly from leaves clogging the prop. Eventually we made Wootton Rivers with its attendant 'black hole' of communications--no TV, phone or radio--and this time no handy high bridge to stand on!  

                 Barry walked to the "Royal Oak" and booked a table for dinner at 19:30 while I drowned a few maggots.   In shallow water I did well to catch two bream before darkness fell with a vengeance. The pub was excellent as usual, Barry had fish and chips and I had gammon steak with all the trimmings. On the way back to the boat, I was able to get a signal on the mobile by standing on the canal bridge that leads to the village, so was able to tell everyone that 'The Black Hole' is alive and well and just ahead.

28 October 2007

An extra hour in bed with the clocks going back meant that at 07:00 I was more than ready to get up and get fishing. One roach and one perch hardly lived up to my expectations however, and we got underway at 09:10.  Immediately the heavens opened and the rain that we've successfully avoided since 11 October all seemed to arrive at once! It was grim! Not cold but miserable, even more leaves clogging the prop, necessitating going into reverse seemingly every few yards. Wet weather gear made climbing around the locks, [and there were plenty of them!], quite a task.

                 Ploughing wetfully on we stopped at Burnt Mill Lock and had some hot soup to sustain the inner men, then resumed our waterlogged trek.  at Froxfield Bottom Lock, the water coming down the canal was phenomenal and we had a job opening the bottom gates. This lost us more time and as we arrived at Picketfield Lock in yet another shower by 16:50, we'd had enough. Unfortunately, still in the 'black hole' re phones but we could get a TV picture! Another busy day tomorrow it seems. Now for a fry-up!

29 October 2007

As if God was ashamed of drowning us all day yesterday, today dawned very mistily, quite mild and very sunny when the golden orb had cleared the trees. I'd risen early to get some fishing in and we were on the move by 08:30. Watering up at Kintbury we pressed on and made Newbury and the library by 15:15 at last getting some locks in our favour as we actually started to meet other boats. I had anticipated having to e-mail in the morning so this was a bonus indeed. As we cleared the 'black hole' the phone went mad with all the messages that had been stuck in the system. Importantly, I received a call from The Environment Agency as a result of me leaving a message with them on Saturday afternoon. They were able to reassure me that closures on the Thames will not take place until at least 5 November. This means I can relax a bit because Barry will be taking temporary shore leave when we arrive at Reading as he has a date  at Buckingham Palace on Saturday 2 November!

[I could tell you what it is, but then I'd have to kill you!]  

Following the library I moved the boat on to within 500 yards of Greenham Lock. Newbury Park, although good convenient moorings, suffers from yobs and drunks at night and it's not worth the hassle.

                 Later Barry and I discussed the main events of the day. A little boy on a boat that we'd been sharing locks with got power crazy at West Mills Swing Bridge as we were negotiating the gap following me opening same. He thought it would be a good idea to press 'shut bridge' just as I was coming through. Barry threw her into reverse and I screamed with all my might. His elder brother gave him a clout and restored order [who says kids don't need smacking?!!] 

                 Another point worthy of discussion was the ½dozen BW bods having to take three courses of bricks off of the pumpout housing at Kintbury because 'the horsedrawn boat-rope was having trouble getting over the structure!'  I despair, I really do.

30 October 2007

Fishing early,I continued whilst Barry forayed for supplies and a sneaky E-mail session at the library. We moved on Thamesward at 11:00 in glorious weather that lasted all day until we tied up at Aldermaston Wharf at 16:20, ready to eat at "The Butt Inn" later. I've almost given up trying to number the bridges as there is so much discrepancy. A BW man at Midgham Lock, who was checking out the fixtures and fittings along the canal, confirmed this.

                 Guess what? 'The Butt Inn' was closed due to flooding--there was nowhere else to eat, so it's welcome to fry-up city once again.

31 October 2007

This morning started well. A passer-by opened the gates of Padworth Lock as we approached. This old boy, out for a stroll,told me that the pub had been closed for  several months, due to flooding throughout the area. The weather was as forecast, grey and mild--very pleasant conditions. By 12:10 we'd reached "The Cunning Man" at Burghfield and opted to eat then so Barry wouldn't be starving on his homeward bound train journey and I could moor if necessary in the middle of nowhere tonight.

                Hopefully Barry will rejoin me further down the line after his Buck House adventure. Barely 5 minutes after Barry decamped at Blake's Lock in Reading around 14:45, I was 'egged' by an a***hole standing on the last bridge before the Thames. It caught me high on my right hand side--it could have been my eye! If I'd have caught him 'trick or treat' would have been an understatement!

                 Shaking off the anger, I emerged onto Old Father Thames and within 25 minutes was negotiating Sonning Lock where the lockie was able to confirm that there were no stoppages that will affect my journey to Brentford. I confirmed with the Shiplake lockie that the 24 hour moorings below Wargrave were ideal for an overnight stop and indeed I was there and tied up by 16:30 and able to drown a few maggots.

1 November 2007

A good kip and a bad fish-nothing to be had-not even a knock. 08:30, brilliant sunshine and I was on the move. Approaching Marsh Lock I saw through the binoculars a man hand-winding the sluices and gates. 'This looks bad' I thought. As always though, things became clearer as I got nearer. It was 09:10 and the man I'd seen was from an uphill cruiser. As he came into the lock, the lockie appeared over the walkway. The month now being November his hours were 09:15--16:00. Soon I was at the mooring just above Henley Bridge and repaired to the library and caught up with my E-mails and log.

                 I went to the chippy in Friday Street on my way back to the boat but it didn't open until noon--another 30 minutes. So I had a coffee on board and got chatting to a couple who had only met for the first time today but had been e-mailing one another on Flickr for some time, their common interest being photography. They were sitting on a bench alongside the boat and he was casting an interested eye over the boat, with a view to possibly buying it for his son.

                 I elected to give the pair a ride to 'The Flower Pot' at Aston where I was treated to dinner and several drinks. Back on board much later at 15:30, I tried fishing and yet again had no luck. In all the times I've tried here, I've had no success whatsoever. Later, after some telly, I walked back up to the pub by torchlight--it's pitch-black here on Ferry Lane. I had a drink or two with the regulars, returning to a cosy, warm boat, courtesy of the Refleks by 23:10.

2 November 2007

The classic mist-wreathed river revealed itself as I opened the front doors today. I was moving downriver by 07:50 and just above tickover, reached Hurley Lock at 09:00 enabling me to fill the watertank by 09:15 when the lockie came on duty and saw me through. Steadily moving on through Temple, Marlow, [ where I saw an extraordinary craft called 'Tritania' consisting of a man in a bathchair atop several floats lashed together with another basket chair alongside him containing a little old lady, an open umbrella over them both, and all sorts of paraphernalia lashed on seemingly anywhere. Think Lewis Carrol and 'Jabberwocky' and you'll have a vague idea! ] Cookham, Boulter's and Bray, I reached Boveney by 13:05 when the lockie was at lunch. The power was on and I moved the boat into the lock, accompanied by 'Indigo Dream' who moors at Northolt! I left the closing to him as I'd done the opening. I moored in my usual spot, Jenning's Wharf in Windsor and made a sausage sarnie and had a coffee, very welcome indeed. Indigo Dream passed by and I arranged to accompany him to Brentford on Sunday morning at 09:30 and also up the Hanwell Flight.

                  I resumed my Brentford-bound trek at 14:45 and made Old Windsor Lock bang on 16:00. The lockie there opened the gates before going off duty, asking me to make sure I closed the sluices when I left. I moored just by the "Bells of Ouzeley" at 16:50 just before darkness fell, a good run for the day. The pub meal was very acceptable, spitroast garlic chicken [½] , chips and sweetcorn + as much varied salad as one wanted. A good TV picture completed a good day.

3 November 2007

08:30 and onwards-not so much mist this morning and definitely warmer. I started Bell Weir Lock at around 09:00 and the lockie arrived to see me out of it and close the gates. I debated whether to stop at Staines or not. The empty mooring, where we sorted out the toilet [seemingly weeks ago] convinced me to give the library a go. This duly done, I bought a TV listings magazine and pushed on in truly warm, sunny conditions--it's hard to believe it's November!

                at Penton Hook Lock the lockie told me that Chertsey Lock would be unmanned due to staff shortages and sickness. I was thus prepared when I passed under the M3 bridge and noticed all the traffic was at a standstill with people milling about aimlessly. I called out to one chap leaning over the parapet and watching me 'Has there been an accident?' to which he nodded glumly. 'No hold up down here!' I volunteered--it didn't go down too well! Soon, from out of a clear blue sky a great yellow air ambulance crossed the river and landed further down the motorway, very dramatic. Before I and the other boats operating the lock were finished, the traffic had begun to move again. What a boon these air ambulances are. I encountered them often in my fire-brigade days--they deserve all the financial support possible.

                  Shepperton Lock was made with minutes to spare before lunchtime. Then Sunbury Lock  was another D-I-Y job, and, like this morning, the lockie returned from lunch in time to see us all on our way. at 15:15 I cleared Molesey Lock and had a final steam to bring me to Teddington Lock by 16:00. The moorings are about 1000 yards long and yet, especially nearer to the lock, were packed out with boats of all shapes and sizes, ancient clinker-built and carvel-built models with nary a narrowboat or cruiser amongst them. An old man on board one of these told me that [and this was confirmed by the lockie next day] the river was being allowed to drain out for the next three weeks to allow for piling works to be carried out below the lock and indeed to identify any scours below the lock. All these boats, with their ' V ' shaped keels would not be happy with no water to hold them up, so they all had to come up above the lock whilst the work is carried out. Of course, the metal-detector boys will be out in force as the stretch below the lock to the half-tide barrier at Richmond and beyond will be exposed for the first time in ages.

                 Fishing, as on most occasions this holiday, was strangely unproductive. Previously, this location has offered up sizeable bream, as mentioned in previous reports. I plan an early rise tomorrow to 'get some in' before the 09:30 tide departure for Brentford.

4 November 2007

I got up at 06:00 in order to be abluted by the time it was light. I was looking forward to some more monster bream as on previous occasions--a complete waste of time--not a single bite. Around 09:00 I strolled down the line of moored boats to try and espy 'Indigo Dream' but no luck. I move into the lock at 09:30 and it was only as the boat had sunk to the lower level that I spotted Richard and Sue pulling into the space I'd just vacated. I asked the lockie to let them know I'd gone through and proceeded at a slow pace to allow them to catch me up by Isleworth Ait.

                  Into Thames Lock by 10:45 and Richard was off straightaway to lockwheel on his bike-very handy indeed. He worked his socks off all the way to Norwood Top Lock and even returned to Norwood Bottom Lock to retrieve one of my fenders that had fallen off there.

                 I was tied up by 15:15 at Bull's Bridge on the Tesco moorings. Richard and Sue moved off down the Paddington Arm to Engineer's Wharf at Northolt as I went to Tesco's for some milk. More abortive fishing followed then a major fry-up before telly. Where's Barry when you need him?

5 November 2007

Awake and radio on at 06:30, no way was I going to fish this morning and after a leisurely ablute, set sail at 07:45 with Nick Ferrari chatting merrily in my ear, courtesy of my Walkman. The fog was thick, wet and very cold. This is the first time I had to don a jacket to get underway--my hands were freezing but the sun eventually did its work and burnt the fog off, although the jacket remained firmly on!

                  Talk about lucky, Cowley, Uxbridge and Denham Deep were all in my favour with one gate open-perfick! at Widewater I thought my luck had run out but, as I approached, the water was let out and 'Roger' emerged--straight in again! Black Jack's was the same except this time it was 'Soloman' that emerged as I neared the gates.

                 Ironically, Coppermill, although in my favour, had to be opened and 12 noon saw me tied up at HNA and a warm welcome from Chloe and Deirdre. I pumped out the loo and put Caie Two to bed, then Harold kindly gave me a lift home.

                 Reflecting on the trip, I thought it had gone very well indeed. O.K. we had the problems in "Macerator Mansions" and the studs falling out west of Thatcham, necessitating an enforced 36 hour hold up before rescue took place, but measured against the incredible weather, the incomparable scenery, the delightful wildlife we'd spotted and the great number of friendly people, good pubs and pleasant times, then the cons were definitely outweighed by the pros!!