Upstream... just a little distance

So this morning was very frosty, coldest night so far I think, I kept the stove going all night and took the precaution of sleeping in the main cabin on the convertible seating that makes up to a double bed for visitors (or me on cold nights)

this was about 9:30 frosty roof, I am sure I will get colder nights in the future though, but inside with the stove going it's great, when it comes to setting off with frozen ropes and slippery everwhere it's not great, roll on summer :-)



I walked into Shepperton to see my solicitor, they were closed, no times shown on the office door or on the answerphone message so I guess it will be New Year before they reopen, shame as I was so close and I have some things to sign, it will probably mean a public transport journey back whenever I can.
The idea for today was to head through Shepperton Lock obtaining a Thames Visitor licence from the lock keeper and emptying rubbish and the other thing that has to be emptied (black water is the best term, or Elsan another favoured one), and also take on water.
It all went to plan except the water, the visitor licence the lock keeper told me was either £75 for 3 days or £60 for 7, weird, bet they don't sell many 3 day licences, I needed 5 days so took the 7day option, he told me they had no bulk fill water service and I would need to go up to Chertsey Lock for that, so that's what
I did, approaching Chertsey Bridge, so many Arches, why is life so difficult, which one do I use, give me two arches one on the left, one on the right, how hard is that, only joking, it's a nice bridge I have driven over it hundreds of times in my former life, so I took the Arch that seemed appropriate and moored at the lock on the water point. After filling I reversed away and swung the boat around, that was interesting, the current makes all these things not quite as straightforward as they first appear, but all went well and I head back towards Shepperton to my chosen mooring.

I passed this nice little boat house on the trip, you do see some lovely boats and houses and if you remembered to put your camera in your pocket and you remember that you remembered you can snap away.




Moored up at Dockett Eddy Lane just after Chertsey Meads when going downstream as I had visitors expected.
My mooring for the night looking across at this very tiny house, amazing what some people have to get by living in.




My daughter Chloe and her boyfriend Jamie were down just for the day from Great Yarmouth and after visiting her mum they called in on me and gave Quinquireme the once over, had a cup of tea and a catchup before setting off to surprise a close friend of hers, it was lovely to see you both xx

Travel Today : 1 lock : 4 miles