Moving on at last.

Yesterday I got the all clear from the dentist, did a final provision shop and prepared myself to move on today, the forecast was for the tail end of a hurricane coming in the afternoon with ‘blustery’ conditions and showers so I decided to make an early-ish start. Just after 8am I said good bye to Karl, he is heading for London later so we are travelling in opposite directions, and cast off.

I hadn’t gone far before pulling on to the service point for the normal water fill and empty of toilet cassettes.

On the service point.

The water tank (900ltr) was just below half full, it took just under an hour to fill as the flow was a bit weak.

Once full I made a cuppa and set off for the first lock, I was soon overtaken by three young canoeists who passed me at speed two on one side of the boat and one squeezing between me and the line of moored boats, there were in complete control and I only had to keep my boat straight to prevent squashing one of them.

It was changeover day at Wyvern shipping hire centre with lots of holiday boats returning, not as full as I’ve seen it before and probably will be empty again later today.

Arriving at Leighton lock (27) which is 6’ 8” deep and with heavy gates I was glad to see two more hire boats coming up to return to base and behind me a boat approaching I could share with.

There was also another boat waiting to come up so it all meant nothing for me to do but stay on the tiller and chat to the other helmsman, they were from Belgium and were heading for Milton Keynes  marina, not a holiday but a summer cruising boat, they were going back to Belgium for the winter later in the year.

I headed out of the lock first and set off along the 2½ mile pound between lock 27 and the Soulbury three locks 26-24 soon passing The Globe Inn public house with a few hire row boats and canoes out front.

There are lots of moored boats along this pound and as I mentioned in my last post, I always slow to tickover, my Belgium buddies decided I was too slow and as soon as the opportunity arose they overtook me.

What do they think that will achieve ?

It was of no benefit at all as I caught them up again at the next lock J

We shared the 3 lock flight which was made easier as a boat was coming up so the second and third were in our favour.

The Three Locks pub between locks 25 and 24.

I told my impatient locking pals to head off first as I intended to moor up and off they went waving goodbye as I shut the bottom gate.

I wanted to moor just after the lock but the moorings were full so I headed on until I spied a gap on the piled edge just after the next bridge (106) around Stoke Hammond, lovely, the wind was getting up a bit and the solar panel was clear to the sun so I was happy, just about midday.

Current  mooring:

Totals today : 5 miles : 4 locks

Just as I started to write this (about 1:30pm) the boat went dark as the sky turned black and a very heavy brief shower of rain ensued with a few claps of thunder, I’m glad I stopped J

A good time to be below deck.

It’s now beautiful and sunny again although still breezy.