Lazy Sunday

After my slightly frustrating day on Saturday, which ended with me moored in a beautiful location, I took these snaps in the evening.

It's Early Evening about 7pm

Looks like these travelers are in a missile, not a plane.

I intended to make some better progress yesterday, however, having had breakfast and taken a cup of tea up on the stern deck, I was looking across the view of the fields and taking in the sunshine when I made the decision to stay put, so I did, I sat out on the towpath reading my Kindle and let the day pass me by.

I was cooking my dinner around 5:30 when I happened to look up through my roof hatch and spotted six gliders circling around very high up and some distance away, this is one of them at 64x zoom

they eventually all peeled off one after the other and disappeared I presume to some nearby airfield.

This morning with the sun shining but the wind blowing I set off about 10:30, at Somerton Deep Lock I had a short wait for a C&RT workboat who was heading through the lock in my direction. 

Former lock keepers cottage at Somerton Deep Lock

another boat arrived and the crew worked me through.

At 12 feet deep it would be quite a dark damp slimy hole to get stuck in

The view was often just the twisty wooded canal but occasionally open fields. I found a section of piling and moored for a spot of lunch around 12:45.

Not a bad spot for tea and a sandwich

The lift bridge 205 was down, two boats had just gone through and I cursed my luck for missing them but as I was pulling over to work out the best way to deal with it a young lad about 14 shouted ‘would you like me to lift the bridge’, yes please, I was heading towards it slowly and for a second I didn’t think he was going to be able to raise it, but he did and it was looking a bit wobbly as he laid on the balance beam to hold it open, I was hesitant, I did not want that dropping on my roof, but he got it settled and I passed underneath safely, thanking him as I did.

I passed through Lower Heyford checking out the moorings for a stop on the return journey, it was very busy, Oxfordshire Narrowboats have their base here and there were holiday makers loading their belongings on board the boats along with the permit holder moorings, it looked like a popular stopping place.

Somewhere en route I passed this little tree house, I don’t know if it is still in service but I bet whoever used it, loved it.

I carried on through the next two locks and began looking for a mooring, not much to be had until just before Pidgeon’s lock (39) where there was enough of a gap just before the lock landing, I thought it was a little close to the lock, but not too close, enough room still for a couple of boats to get in if they wanted to use the lock, so I moored up, it was 4pm now and I was tired. A few minutes later a boat moored in front of me, now he is very close to the lock landing but hopefully he’ll move off early, I did hear one passing boater shouting about it but luckily it’s been quiet traffic wise.

Totals Today and Saturday:  10 Miles : 5 Locks : 2 Lift bridges