A car trip.....

.....then back to the boat.

Friday I left Rickmansworth early at 8am, breezy and chilly but dry, it was a short-ish run to my destination at Harefield marina, a boat passed me before I was ready to set off, it was a young lady cruising and she had about 30 minutes head start on me, a shame because we could have shared the locks and made life a little easier for both.

A fairly uneventful cruising and just the odd distraction.

If I owned this one I would paint it matt black, a stealth cruiser!

 And if I owned this one, I would paint it any other colour but pink, but I expect the owner loves it J

Entering Springwell Lock (83)

 Arriving at Copper Mill Lock I could see the young lady cruiser just leaving, so I had caught her up and at the next lock she was just opening the gates as I arrived so I cruised straight in and we shared that lock and the final lock before the marina, she was heading into London and had been living aboard for a year, she said she was still learning and I told her we all are! She left the last lock first as the marina entrance is immediately after the lock, and I needed a bit of room to make the sharp left turn, having started the turn I could see the service area was full so I reversed back onto the lock landing and waited.

Waiting on the lock landing for the projecting boat to move off the
service area.

Once the boat on the service area had finished his business I pulled on to it and took aboard the harbour master who directed me to my berth.

Having just tied up my phone rang and Peter, my sister’s partner, told me he was in the car park ready to kindly take me back to Weybridge, so a quick cuppa and a chat and we were soon on our way.

A lovely weekend was spent visiting my children and of course my granddaughter, a family Chinese meal on Saturday as a sort of joint birthday celebration for myself and my granddaughter (our birthdays are 3 days apart) and a pleasant Sunday afternoon at my grand niece’s house before returning back to the boat this morning.

Thanks due again to my sister Carol and Peter for putting up with me and running me around while I was down there.

Back at the boat today to find the batteries at 99% and a chilly boat, but within an hour the sun had come out, the solar panel had boosted the batteries to full charge and it has turned into a very pleasant afternoon, catching up with a few small chores before I re-light the stove later this evening, soon that will be no longer required but not just yet!

 I will be moving tomorrow if the weather is settled but if not I will stay and move on Wednesday, time to re-start on the bedroom and try to get it finished J

Totals this post: 4.5 miles : 5 locks