Friday 9th August
The day starts hot and sunny. Bought bag of Taybright from canal trader, £7.40. Hoping not to need it, but always good to have a supply against chilly evenings.
School starts again after the weekend so the weather will probably perk up then.
Thursday 28th August
Left Rugby at 9.45 and stopped at Old Oaks Wood for breakfast. Continued on to Sutton’s Stop at Hawkesbury arriving at 15.30 for a late lunch. I cleaned the port side of MORE and cleaned brasses and mopped deck. Exercise needed to enable a good night’s sleep. Met couple from NB Bright Angel, from Slimbridge and discussed problems with travel packs. Also met couple from Lancashire, South port supporters, last in the league in 1978.
Wednesday 27th August
Set off about 11.00, cruising to Hillmorton Locks. Medeieval field patterns much in evidence through this rural stretch. Went through the 3 locks without incident with help from 3 local girls and cruised on to Rugby. Went to Tesco for supplies. Bought replacement frying pan. Spent part of evening talking to couple from Ilkeston, Derbyshire out cruising on NB The Oak.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Good Bye Snails Pace
Tuesday 26th August
Continue descent of Napton flight. Snails Pace follows behind with the children and their parents lending a hand. Do essential jobs at sanitary station and visit the excellent shop at the bottom lock. Receive a glancing blow from a Willow Wren NB which was coming out of the bottom lock. No apology offered by non English speaking crew. This was the same boat which closed the gates on an ascending boat at the second lock up, stealing their water and making them wait an additional 15 minutes. What it gained them is incomprehensible as they still had to wait for the bottom lock! Then, to cap it all they just moored at the bottom for a drink. MAD. Wave goodbye to Snails Pace as we continue towards Braunston and the North Oxford Canal. See Eric Openshaws boat moored at Braunston. Cruise on and moor just past bridge 87 in a pleasant location. 6 locks only today.
Monday 25th.
Set off about mid day and have an almost perfect ascent of the Claydon Locks. Follow two other boats through Fenny Compton tunnel, making it an easy passage. Could not take on water at Fenny Compton as some selfish boater had moored between both water taps and gone off somewhere leaving their boat. Cruise through a most beautiful section to Napton. Arrive at top lock to find NB Snails Pace taking on water. Stop for a chat and take on water also. Moor after three of the locks behind Snails Pace. Rebecca and Lauren vist our boat. Poor Lauren had sore fingers having trapped then in the front door of Snails Pace.
Sunday 24th August
A wet start to the day. Cruise to Cropredy where stock up on essential supplies. Ascend 3 more locks and moor below Claydon bottom lock.
Continue descent of Napton flight. Snails Pace follows behind with the children and their parents lending a hand. Do essential jobs at sanitary station and visit the excellent shop at the bottom lock. Receive a glancing blow from a Willow Wren NB which was coming out of the bottom lock. No apology offered by non English speaking crew. This was the same boat which closed the gates on an ascending boat at the second lock up, stealing their water and making them wait an additional 15 minutes. What it gained them is incomprehensible as they still had to wait for the bottom lock! Then, to cap it all they just moored at the bottom for a drink. MAD. Wave goodbye to Snails Pace as we continue towards Braunston and the North Oxford Canal. See Eric Openshaws boat moored at Braunston. Cruise on and moor just past bridge 87 in a pleasant location. 6 locks only today.
Monday 25th.
Set off about mid day and have an almost perfect ascent of the Claydon Locks. Follow two other boats through Fenny Compton tunnel, making it an easy passage. Could not take on water at Fenny Compton as some selfish boater had moored between both water taps and gone off somewhere leaving their boat. Cruise through a most beautiful section to Napton. Arrive at top lock to find NB Snails Pace taking on water. Stop for a chat and take on water also. Moor after three of the locks behind Snails Pace. Rebecca and Lauren vist our boat. Poor Lauren had sore fingers having trapped then in the front door of Snails Pace.
Sunday 24th August
A wet start to the day. Cruise to Cropredy where stock up on essential supplies. Ascend 3 more locks and moor below Claydon bottom lock.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
To Wycombe Wanderers
Saturday 23rd August
Travelled to High Wycombe by train and used supporters bus to get to Adams Park. Picked up our season ticket card and met up with Tom and Lisa to see the game against Lincoln. Good result 1.0 to Wycombe. Went home briefly to deal with post and tidy garden. Caught 33 bus from Castlefield to Town and walked through to station. Got train back to Banbury and arrived back at just before 8pm. Banbury is a great centre for a travelling boater- shops, launderette, station with good links to London and Wycombe, Arts Centre, Sports Centre, cinema etc
Friday 22nd August
Spent the day in Banbury sorting out supplies and using the excellent launderette.
Thursday 21st August
Jim form RCR replaced fan belt and checked engine over. Ready to set off late morning and cruised as far as Somerton Deep Lock. Here we join a queue of eight other boats waiting to pass through. This took two and a quarter hours. Met some boaters from Peterborough. Had conversations with talkative Becky from NB Snails Pace who were two boats ahead of us in the queue. Cruised on to Banbury and moored up below the lock.
5 locks today.
Wednesday 20th August
BROKEN FAN BELT
Showery day. Leave late morning and cruise to Lower Heyford where we get gas and replenish some supplies. Very helpful people and a good shop for boaters. Stop for lunch and then shortly afterwards batteries stop charging and engine whines. Pull in and discover broken fan belt. Call RCR. Snails Pace moor behind us. The girls on board are a bit worried by the cows and bulls in the field. Becky scrubs the roof of Snails Pace. Both girls fish for crayfish and later play frisbee on the field.
Travelled to High Wycombe by train and used supporters bus to get to Adams Park. Picked up our season ticket card and met up with Tom and Lisa to see the game against Lincoln. Good result 1.0 to Wycombe. Went home briefly to deal with post and tidy garden. Caught 33 bus from Castlefield to Town and walked through to station. Got train back to Banbury and arrived back at just before 8pm. Banbury is a great centre for a travelling boater- shops, launderette, station with good links to London and Wycombe, Arts Centre, Sports Centre, cinema etc
Friday 22nd August
Spent the day in Banbury sorting out supplies and using the excellent launderette.
Thursday 21st August
Jim form RCR replaced fan belt and checked engine over. Ready to set off late morning and cruised as far as Somerton Deep Lock. Here we join a queue of eight other boats waiting to pass through. This took two and a quarter hours. Met some boaters from Peterborough. Had conversations with talkative Becky from NB Snails Pace who were two boats ahead of us in the queue. Cruised on to Banbury and moored up below the lock.
5 locks today.
Wednesday 20th August
BROKEN FAN BELT
Showery day. Leave late morning and cruise to Lower Heyford where we get gas and replenish some supplies. Very helpful people and a good shop for boaters. Stop for lunch and then shortly afterwards batteries stop charging and engine whines. Pull in and discover broken fan belt. Call RCR. Snails Pace moor behind us. The girls on board are a bit worried by the cows and bulls in the field. Becky scrubs the roof of Snails Pace. Both girls fish for crayfish and later play frisbee on the field.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A surprise back at Thrupp
Tuesday 19th August
Left Thrupp late morning and travelled to Dashwood Lock where we moored for the night. A mixed day of sunshine and showers.
Monday 18th August
Cruised down Thames. Met some very wet canoeists at Eynsham Lock. They kept pace with us all the way to Dukes Cut where we parted ways- we went to the Oxford Canal and they proceeded to Kings Lock on the Thames. Cruised to the Jolly Boatman at Thrupp, where we moored and where we were surprised to see Wilfred and Silver playing on the towpath.They had returned to their home boat, Gallifrey, which is moored by The Boat Inn, also at Thrupp.
Sunday 17th August
After doing our washing at the home of Chris and Jane we headed back to the boat. Tom and Lisa had found excellent mooring by Farmoor Reservoirs easily reached from the village by footpath. Stayed overnight.
Saturday 16th August
Spent the day at the wedding of Christopher and Jane in Cowbridge whilst Tom and Lisa spent a couple of days on MORE. Unfortunately the weather was not kind in Wales and it rained for most of the day. Luckily there were many places where photographs could be taken indoors. The venue was super and the food great. Finally dropped into bed after midnight and watched the start of the women’s marathon on the bedroom TV.
Tom and Lisa cruised down river to Tadpole Bridge and moored at the Trout Inn where they had dinner.
Left Thrupp late morning and travelled to Dashwood Lock where we moored for the night. A mixed day of sunshine and showers.
Monday 18th August
Cruised down Thames. Met some very wet canoeists at Eynsham Lock. They kept pace with us all the way to Dukes Cut where we parted ways- we went to the Oxford Canal and they proceeded to Kings Lock on the Thames. Cruised to the Jolly Boatman at Thrupp, where we moored and where we were surprised to see Wilfred and Silver playing on the towpath.They had returned to their home boat, Gallifrey, which is moored by The Boat Inn, also at Thrupp.
Sunday 17th August
After doing our washing at the home of Chris and Jane we headed back to the boat. Tom and Lisa had found excellent mooring by Farmoor Reservoirs easily reached from the village by footpath. Stayed overnight.
Saturday 16th August
Spent the day at the wedding of Christopher and Jane in Cowbridge whilst Tom and Lisa spent a couple of days on MORE. Unfortunately the weather was not kind in Wales and it rained for most of the day. Luckily there were many places where photographs could be taken indoors. The venue was super and the food great. Finally dropped into bed after midnight and watched the start of the women’s marathon on the bedroom TV.
Tom and Lisa cruised down river to Tadpole Bridge and moored at the Trout Inn where they had dinner.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
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