Cropredy and Back

It may seem strange to some people but our little cruise to Cropredy and the return this morning was one of the most relaxing outings I have had this year.

It isn't distance that makes boating enjoyable: Cropredy is only 4 (and a bit) miles by canal.

It isn't the weather: We had heavy showers yesterday and light drizzle this morning.

BUt it is the wonder of being on water, with family and friends. We had a very enjoyable evening with Aurega's crew on their mooring. We moored very close to them and our original intention was to return late yesterday evening. But with heavy thundery showers persisting an early start this morning was by far prefereable.

The return to home mooring was without incident in peaceful solitude: not a moving boat on the way and a sleeping crew!

A long and worthwhile day

We are back on the Oxford Canal.

We went one lock too far, met the lock keeper at Iffley lock and he reccomended a cruise past Port Meadow in the late evening light to finish the day off. So we did. We worked up Osney Lock and then saw the delights of the meadow in a beautiful light. He was right. It was as good an English landscape as I have ever seen with the life of horses, geese and ccws grazing gently. It reminded me of a Cooper watercolour.


So to Kings lock, a swing eastward to Dukes Cut Lock and the Oxford Canal. We moored after sunset and feasted on Kedgeree and bean salad. Hungry but tired and happy.

33 miles and 12 locks today.

Another lovely Day

Yes! So we took SONFLOWER for a couple of miles, two locks and a couple of lift bridges with the standard crew. A two hour trip.

People were in town for the school holidays. One grandmother had come to town by train with her little charge to see the boats. The little boy 'helped' with the lock gates his grandmother obviously worried that the little darling might fall in. "You get more worried with grandchildren than your own" she said.

We chatted with other boaters on the way to the boat. Petty thefts seem to be the topic of the day. Not just because we had the genny stolen but another boater bought his own fishing rod back from "Cashconvertors". At least they keep good records and photos of the people who come in to cash the goods in, so one thief has been identified. Maybe he's admit to other petty crimes and improve the local crime figures without the local police lifting a finger!

It was good to stop and talk to Bob on nb Nomad Dream on the way back. They are in town for a couple of days.Very sadly we had to tell them of the demise of Somerfield and that there is now no supermarket in the town centre. We have the privilege of buying superfood from Marks and Spencer these days if the town centre is the only place one can get to. They had already passed Tesco so we told them where to moor to shop at Morrison's on their way out of town.

It was great to be in the fresh air.

Probably my last little cruise for a while now as tomorrow I am having a new half knee fitted at the Horton Hospital. I'll tell you how it goes.

"One Rule for One. . . . ."

Having your boat blacked and clean and shiny makes one sensitive!

Yesterday was a beautiful afternoon and the sunshine invited me to get back to our home mooring. This is very necessary for two reasons. Much though I love being in the centre of town, close to my favorite watering hole (General Foods Club- Boaters Welcome) and the bustle of the market and shopping centre the moorings are only 48hr and no return is allowed for 28 days. I must go or I will be overstaying! I agree that it isn't fair for a local boat like me to clog the moorings and prevent holiday makers and cruisers from enjoying this pleasant market town.

However, some boats do seem to return within 28 days with impunity. These are the hire boats who are just 3 days away from base. Banbury is an obvious target for a week's cruise from Stockton, Napton, Calcutt, Braunston and Lower Heyford. These pay a commercial license and understandably are apparently not bound by the local mooring conditions of the rest of us. There is a category of boat that also appear to be immune who pay the same license fee as us ordinary mortals. Stockton and Calcutt Marinas are the base for Ownerships. These craft appear in Banbury town centre on a very regular basis. I debated this subject with the crew of nb Soudley who were this week a lovely couple, a farmer and a doctor. Obviously in their allotted three weeks on the boat in a year they have three one week cruises available to them from Stockton. Banbury and back taking in the South Oxford, Blisworth and back via Braunston and north though Warwick and the Hatton Flight which takes a whole day out of the cruise. What they cannot arrange is the order that the various "owners" (twelve of them in this case) decide to do the trips. It's all about their personal preferences which is fair enough. Hence, their boat can be in town for three weeks on the trot or, at best, every three weeks. Whichever way it is it breaks BW's 28 day rule. However, nb Soudley's crew told me they had never got one of the Mooring Warden's very sticky Red Stickers (a penalty notice)!

What a surprise! We have.