23rd December
A bit of a catch up I left Send at about 10am and cruised up
through Worsfield Gates which remain open except in times of flood, although
looking at them as I went through I’m not sure how much flood water they would
hold, but I suppose closing them would be mainly to stop boaters trying to
continue on when it was too dangerous. I then winded (turned around) and headed
back because I had a visitor planned for that evening. So nice and carefully
back down Newark Lock and Papercourt lock which as I was the only moving boat
were still as I had left them, in my favour, at Pyrford lock I stopped to take
on water and dispose of some rubbish, the water point is just before the lock
with a fairly small jetty to moor up alongside and I was a little concerned
whether I would be able to get onto it but as it happened and by being very
slow I stopped perfectly in position, tied up and filled the tank, had a chat
with a nice lady houseboat owner and then reversed back upstream to allow me to
get into the lock, I could have pulled the boat into the lock on the centre
line but thought I’d try reversing as I
need to master handling the boat, it went well and I went through the lock and
headed down to Parvis Wharf where the nice man convinced me to spend more money
on new Bow and Stern lines and a lightweight boathook, and a copy of Pearson’s
Canal Companion for the Oxford & Grand Union Upper Thames, he then assisted
me in repositioning my boat on the Byfleet Boat Club Moorings.
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| Sarah with Honey in Front of the Stove |
That evening I had a visit from my daughter Sarah
and her
dog Honey, I cooked a simple dinner and walked them home about 10pm, it was
lovely to see them both and spend a bit of time together.
24th December
Set off about 10am and pootled down to New Haw lock, as I
was preparing the lock which was against me I had a chat with another boater
who was just walking past and then took the boat into the lock, just as I was
closing the gates I saw in the distance another boat coming towards me, quite a
surprise as I have seen only two other moving boats so far, so I waited, which
they were grateful for, and shared the lock with the couple who were just going
down to the next lock to turn around. We both waved goodbye as they went back
upstream and I went through Coxes Lock, this has a strong bywash coming from the
left as you go downstream pushing you over to the right but a few extra revs
saw me past it ok. I moored up for a few nights over Christmas just before Town
Lock
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| Town Lock Sign |
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| Town Lock |
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| Mooring with lock in the distance |
I had a nice quiet Christmas day with my sister who lives
close by and stayed the night at her house, another first leaving my boat alone
on the towpath, but all was ok when I returned earlier today although very cold
until I got the stove fired up! I’ve been to help Tesco out again in Addlestone and was surprised how busy it was on Boxing day but I was in there so why
shouldn’t other people be.
Total travel this blog: 5 Locks : 9 miles
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