What a lovely day for a change, at 7am I had breakfast on the stern, mist was rising in the bright sunshine already showing the signs of a good day ahead.
I cast off just before 9am, my timing was good, approaching the lock the sign was flipped from 'Self Service' to 'Lock Keeper on Duty' and the gates opened to welcome me in.
I was followed in by another boater who's timing was not so good, he only came up through the lock for water, but had to wait for me to fill up first, so water filled and rubbish emptied I was away again.
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| Leaving Abingdon lock behind. |
The temperature was rising and the views as usual lovely.
Well mostly lovely, this is Nuneham Railway bridge.
Sandford lock came next, at 8' 10" it is the deepest one I've been through on the Thames and I was a little apprehensive about whether my centre line would be long enough so I changed tactics and used bow and stern lines and controlled the boat from above on the lock side, it all went well. The lockie helped, as they do, by filling the lock slowly to begin with,
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| On final approach to Sandford lock. |
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| Perhaps this one belongs to the lock keeper! |
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| The Kings Arms, opposite the lock on an old mill site, looked lovely. |
I wonder whether the owner liked oranges, a little glass seat thing!
Now this one I liked, a lot, birthday present form someone to me one day? Quinquireme moored at the end of the garden, mmmmm.....maybe.
Iffley lock next, another tiddler at 2' 9"deep but still a big lock, just a centre line for this one, I liked the lock keepers cottage as well, very pretty.
By now it was very hot, I was entering Oxford and the rowing and punting area around the College boat houses, but not too many around and they all knew what they were doing (unlike me) so no mishaps or issues.
Unlike passing 'The Head of The River' pub which is right by Folly bridge which has an Island in the middle, you can pass either side and there are a lot of large trip boats and hire boats moored around the Island, it's also quite narrow and blind both ways, so with caution I approached, a narrow boat came through on the left, and one came through on the right, I decided to go through the right side in front of the pub, a small plastic cruiser was doing something, going fowards and backwards in front of me, there was also two hire rowing boats heading towards me, for a moment it was all a bit chaotic, but miraculously everyone managed to move away from me as I slowly cruised through, the pub looked busy too!
I had, as always, a plan A & B, as it was getting very hot I was hoping plan A would work out for me, once I was in Osney Lock I asked the lockie if the moorings were busy ahead, he walked up a bit and said "it looks iffy, two spaces that will be tight for your boat, go in the first one so I can see whether you make it!"
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| Osney Lock. |
As it happens they were both too small but luckily there was a couple of spaces further ahead, near the end, so I snuck in one of them, Plan A had succeeded.
Tonight's mooring:
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| Osney Bridge ahead |
Totals today: 7 miles : 4 locks
Time for a cold beer and a read on the bow deck.
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