Bridge Hopping

SONFLOWER is moored on Castle Quay, Banbury near a sign that says "no return within 28 days" and thinking how stupid it is. In the last 20 days I have just navigated a distance of over 275 miles, through 176 locks and Braunston and Blisworth Tunnels. There were at least 23 moveable bridges of which 16 were left open.

I am moored in the same place within the 28 day period! Oh dear! I am not exactly bridge hopping am I? Castle Quay, to me, indicates a place to load and discharge cargo. That's what I am doing.

Almost there

Today was a wonderful day as far as the weather was concerned and as far as progress was too.

We started on our own and then found company in the form of NB Ricola. They were going to Little Venice as well, had thirty years experience of boating, a boat that could travel like a washless speedboat and knew this stretch of the Grand Union like the back of their hand.

We stopped for lunch just through Widewater lock but befoer mooring I backed to where there was a working boat trading diesel coal etc. He sold me two bags of taybrite and thres in a bag of sticks for £20. Good value. He informed me that he is installing a pump and tank to do pump-outs which will be ready on our way back. 'Where there is muck there is brass'

We stayed withour partner after lunch and when he had cleared Cowley lock we let him disappear intothe distance.

We cheered as we turned onto the Paddington arm and marvelled at the BW boat that is there for the purpose of cleaning the waterways. It had a coot's nest on the bit that should scoop up the rubbish. It was very obvious that it hadn't been used for aq good length of time. The canal was full of plastic bags varying in size from tesco carriers to blue circle cement bags, It was only a matter of time before one or two fouled the prop.

We arrived at Willowtree nature reserve to see NB Ricola already moored and a perfect space for us betweeen her and our frinds NB Trinity. After a welcome and chat we disappeared to cook Beefy Botham Burgers.Tesco (c300yds from the mooring)
provided the large baps.

Three hours or so to go tommorrow. The sky is beautifully clear tonight. I hope it still is in the morning.

All alone

The only company we had today was a couple of boats, also heading for the Cavalcade but behind us. When we stopped for lunch and shopping at Sainsbury's they went by leaving us to tackle the locks even without them coming up behind and closing the bottom gate for us. A hard day but we achieved our target and more. We are at Lady Capel Lock No 74 leaving us 16 locks for tommorrow. An easy day after the 22 locks of today.

The weather was kind. Only a light shower today and plenty of sunshine. No real problems except sharing a lock with a workboat and the workman opening the paddles without us having crew on deck (taking his coat off) and putting the boat on the cill. Our crew returned to alert us and we easily floated her off averting a potentially doisasterous incident averted by quick action by all concerned.

We have thought about going on but after a real Italian dinner of spag bol, ice cream and chianti we don't feel like going anywhere except to bed!