April 18th - Reading to Burghfield

April 16th & 17th - Remained at Reading

Walked Peggy round to Nb. Blue Wolf to say goodbye to Shaun and Debs.  The tree has now been cleared and boats are on the move again.  We wish them well!
Spent the day working on the boat - tightened fan belt, cleaned fuel system and made a 'knob' for the throttle lever.  Annie blacked the stove and cleaned up the cratch area.

On Friday I spent the day at my Mums whilst Annie replaced the zip on the cratch cover.

Black Swan

April 15th - Day trip to Henley

Today we were joined by Jess, Charlie and Alizée.  They parked in the nearby watersports car park and walked round to us, meeting us coming through Blakes Lock.  Had a great day doing a few locks and mooring and having a picnic in Henley.  We got back to Reading for tea and walked them back to the car.

April 14th - Reading Tescos to Reading Jail loop

Received an email from CRT to say that the K&A canal was closed due to a fallen tree above County Lock in Reading.  This meant that Shaun and Debs would be stuck in Reading until it is cleared - hopefully soon.  We moved both boats round to the Reading Jail loop and moored up.  Annie, Debs and I walked up the canal to see if we could see the tree.  Couldn't miss it! - a stonking great thing.  CRT had removed a few branches but this looks like it might take a day or two!
 Caught the bus to go and see my Mum in Tilehurst in the evening.

April 13th - Wallingford to Reading

Set off at 9.30am in convoy with Blue Wolf.  Both boats filled with water at Cleve Lock and Ceildh had a pump out at Mapledurham - once he Lock Keeper had come back from lunch.  Had to dodge a huge piling rig at Caversham bridge.  Arrived at Tescos Reading at 4pm and I fixed bodged the oven whilst the girls shopped at Tescos.  Took Peggy for a walk with drinky-poos on Blue Wold on the way back.

Alpacas gathering for a stampede

April 12th - Godstow to Wallingford

Set off early and had breakfast on the go in order that we could catch 'Blue Wolf' going the other way round Oxford.  Godstow lock was self service - no lock keeper, probably because it is too early in the season for full manning.  Arriving at Osney Lock, the Keeper told us that BW was only 15 minutes in front of us.  We caught up with them at Sandford Lock which was also self service and they were having problems getting through.  The two boats travelled together for the rest of the day - though we had some fun at Abingdon!  As Ceilidh came out of the lock, the strong wind immediately blew us aground at the entrance to the weir.  Lots of manoevering (and helpful advice from watchers on the bank) finally got us off - phew!  Then it got 'really' hairy! We found ourselves in the middle of a huge rowing regatta having to avoid boats left and right determined to ram us and dice themselves in our propeller.

The wind continued very strong with white horses on some stretches - finally moored at Wallingford about 5pm - a long day.

 Locking through Kings Lock

 Leaving Kings Lock

 Con trails over Port Meadow, Oxford

 Wind against current = choppy ride

 N.b. Blue Wolf

Moored in the trees below Wallingford (saving £6 mooring fee)

April 11th - Thrupp to Godstow

We had agreed with Sean & Debs that we would travel in convoy with them today.  Sean was pacing up the towpath to find us as we arrived.  Had an uneventful trip as far as Dukes Cut - we were to take the Cut onto the Thames whilst Blue Wold was to go through Oxford and join the Thames at Osney (all to do with licences).  We said goodbye and turned right - then it got interesting.  The stop lock in Dukes Cut was partly obstructed by a sunken boat - with three lads trying to re-float it using a pump. The pipe connected to the pump was full of holes and they hadn't secured the end, so they all got soaked as soon as they turned the pump on!

Having negotiated the boat there is a very twisty section, made difficult as a very strong wind was blowing.  Rounding one bend, a gust blew so hard that everything blew off the top of the boat - including poor Peggy in her basket!   I managed to grab Peggy but her basket blew away into the water.  Unable to stop I suggested we could buy a new one. But that was £30 came the reply!  Stop the boat!  Fortunately round the next bend was a narrowboat moored in the trees.  We asked if we could come alongside and the chap was very helpful, allowing us to recover the basket before it sank!

Turned left onto the Thames, through Kings lock and we moored up next to Godstow Nunnery for the night.

 Sunken boat

Godstow Nunnery

April10th- Souldern to Thrupp

Woken at 6.30am by a boat going by - then forced to get up rapidly as another boat went by too fast and ripped us from our moorings. Grrrrrr!  Duck eggs for breakfast bought from a farm we passed yesterday.
Gorgeous T shirt weather all day, except for a short April shower.  Moored right outside 'The Boat' pub in Thrupp.  After tea we walked up and found Sean & Debs from Blue Wolf and chatted to them for most of the evening.

 Creative use of old lock timbers

 Turn off a river section back onto the canal

A pic for Claire x

April 9th - Banbury to Souldern Bridge

Set off 9.45am for the short hop to Morrisons at Banbury where we did our weekly shop.  Topped up with water and got talking to the crew of Nb. Blue Wolf who have just bought their boat. Stopped out in the country to make the most of a drop-dead gorgeous view near the village of Souldern.  Spotted a barn owl hunting in the field next to us and it was still only late afternoon.  I took Peggy for a mega-walk to the village and back (around 4 miles). Returned to the boat to find Annie exchanging life stories with an elderly lady from a boat which had moored next to us.

 Old bridge and new bridge (M40)

 The wind got up a bit - and blew Annie's hat in!

 Causeway over the weir at Aynho

 Two little playmates Peggy found on her walk

 Arty picture through the centre of the railway viaduct

Annie chatting to Sean & Debs, the crew of Nb. Blue Wolf

April 8th - stayed at Banbury

Annie got up early and went for a swim at the pool. After breakfast she went to the launderette while I worked on the alternator.  Visited Banbury museum in the afternoon but didn't find it great. Window shopping in the afternoon followed by evening meal in the Reindeer - arrived an hour before they started serving food but managed to amuse ourselves with the Old Hooky till they were ready! 

The Reindeer pre-dates the civil war when most buildings in the town got flattened.  Below my pic, taken from same spot as one I snaffled from the museum taken in 1885.

April 7th - we're off!

We left the marina last night,  filling with water at the Wharf pub, turned the boat to face south.... and bumped into Pete and Wendy on Forget-me-not one last time. Annie dived aboard and cut Pete's hair while I held the two boats together in the middle of the canal. Moored outside the marina for the night.

Set off at 9.30am and had a quick uneventful transit to Banbury, arriving at 2pm. The weather got better and better and we arrived in warm sunshine.

Easter weekend 3rd-6th April - Shakedown cruise

With our new cratch board and cover fitted, various painting jobs done and the engine given a once over - it was time to check the boat out.  Saturday we headed north to Napton and Sunday south towards Cropredy.  Ceilidh was joined by Mark & Abi, Claire and Rob. Rob and the girls had a great go at 'driving' and all did very well - Mark already has his CCBM qualy.  Weather which had started cold became glorious and the weekend culminated in a joint BBQ with the crew of NB Forget-me-not.