Thursday 1st May 2008
We’re moored at Osney Bridge again and this time the Thames is behaving itself.
Checking out the noise down the road I discovered Morris dancers at the Waterman pub on corner of South and East Street. Then I remembered it was May 1st.

It’s a crew change day and when Mike B arrived with my new solar panel I let V go so she can house sit for No1 daughter. Taking this boat single-handed up the Oxford Canal wasn’t my idea of fun so when Mike offered to crew I couldn’t resist. We set off before the sun disappeared and took the easy ride up the Thames to Duke’s Cut and onto the Oxford Canal.

I’m sure we got funny looks from some people along the way, you know what they’re thinking, two guys alone on a boat…..

Anyway, we reached Kidlington and took the last space amongst a dozen boats on what V and me had always thought was an empty and neglected stretch of piling.

Mike and I walked miles (I know he didn’t think it was far, it was nothing to the average dog walker) to a local hostelry. And then all the way back again. V hasn’t been gone a day and here I am being made to walk again.

Later that evening we set about demolishing the curry that Mike brought to the boat (thanks Pat – delicious).
When we weren’t talking about boats we played cards and I was allowed to win enough to keep me coming back for more. I wouldn’t normally play for money and I certainly wouldn’t play Mike for money, I’d be skint in minutes.
When we’d had enough, we slept - Mike took the dinette (sorry, but you’re a guest) while I got the luxury of a bed to myself for a change. And if I’d had any clothes I could have used the wardrobe if I’d wanted, there was space in there – first time in years.

Friday 2nd – Kidlington to Somerton
A little rain fell during the journey north but not enough to cause any bother.
The shop at Pigeon Lock seems to be getting bigger, not longer but certainly higher.

We moored on meadows before Somerton Deep Lock. The field was occupied by several cows and two bulls with no wire separating us. They checked us out, licked the boat and got shooed off before they ate the cratch cover.
This evening we started on V’s assortment of readymade and part finished meals stacked in the fridge.
This gave us an added advantage of making space in the fridge for other essentials like cans of pop.

Sat 3rd – Somerton to Banbury
We had a reasonable day today, considering miles, locks and bridges.
It was my turn to lift paddles, talk to other boaters and peep into houses and gardens by the locks.
I forgot a couple of essentials like which way the gates open and tried pushing them the wrong way and I once started closing the bottom gate as a boat left but before Mike had started in.
The chap leaving the lock looked back and asked “Aren’t you going into the lock then?” “Too much liquid refreshment last night” said his partner at the tiller. Alright, alright, I don’t do this bit very often and now I know why.

We moored opposite the bakery at Banbury after the usual scrutiny by the locals as we passed through the town’s lock. A wedding was in progress as we pottered through and the happy couple waited patiently as I lifted and lowered the bridge between the shops and the car park.

It’s the first time I’d seen the “Closed” sign at the diesel pumps a little further on. Makes no difference, never found anyone in attendance even when it was open.
That evening Mike treated me to a pub meal, actually it was a hotel meal, and the kitchen did a grand job with home made beef and ale pie. Thanks Mike.

Sun 4th – Banbury to Cropredy
As we arrived in Cropredy we were treated to tractor racing by OAPs. They thundered down to the bridge next to the lock, struggled to get over and bounced off into the distance, never to be seen again.

We walked around the town but there was no sign of a farmer’s meeting.

Notices grace the entrance to Cropredy’s pubs announcing Fairport’s Cropredy Convention music festival from the 7th to 9th of August. I’ve heard it’s a good place to be for young and old like me, but not this year, we shall be miles away.

Mon 5th Cropredy to Bridge 124
It drizzled at first but the sun appeared in time for us to finish our journey in the dry.
Claydon Locks was a good place to meet interesting people. We had a hire boat in front and they opened a paddle for us as they left each lock which was uncommonly kind. Thank you whoever you are, most unexpected.
Bridge 124 is the place for those who aren’t quite ready to tackle Napton locks or who have struggled up and want a rest. It was an excellent place for the night and the fine weather promised a dry start to the next day.
Mike couldn’t sit still and volunteered to clean the brasswork. Appreciated.

Tues 6th Bridge 124 to Braunston
Off early before anyone else, we flew down Napton flight, Mike doing locks, me steering, in brilliant sunshine.
The Wigrams Marina sign said diesel was 56p a litre. We simply must have some at that price. A tight turn, couldn’t have made it harder if they’d tried and just enough space to get a 60 footer alongside the diesel pump. Black Prince boats were breasted up and tied to every spare bit of bankside mooring.
But the price at the pump was 75p/litre so whatever happened to the old ruling that the customer paid the advertised rate?
Mike asked about the Wi-Fi and was told it was off the menu. Problems with something or other, and no assurance that it would be reinstated.
Wi-Fi was supposed to be the public puller but now it’s either no longer required or no longer desired by the marina owners.
Asking for a gas bottle exchange I was told the gas cages were full of empties, with no new cylinders on site. I guess their hire boats don’t go short.
Overall I got the feeling we weren’t wanted.

In a light breeze and brilliant sunshine we sauntered up to Braunston and moored opposite the Millhouse. Walking to town for goodies we found the chippy shut on Tuesdays, rats, Mike was going to treat us to the best fish and chips in town. Walking on down to the Admiral Nelson we found that shut. We walked back to the Millhouse to ‘rest’ our tired feet and throats.

Wed 7th Braunston to Bridge 8/9 Leics Line
Stopping at Wharf House on our way to the Braunston flight we exchanged gas bottles (now £20.17 for 13Kg propane) and hadn’t gone far into Braunston tunnel before realising our tunnel light was missing. Killing the engine and floating in the dark gave me enough time to walk forward and tinker with the plugs and sockets on the bow. While I looked like I knew what I was doing Mike shone “SOS” on a torch at an approaching boat. Fully illuminated and back ‘on-the-air’ again we turned from our broadside-on stance to resume normal tunnel cruising in time to pass the boat safely and catch a comment from its skipper.

Hard left at Norton junction and a brief stop at a weir to slap on some bow blacking we were doing well for time so thought we might as well carry on to the locks. Mike wanted to work Watford Locks and I certainly didn’t object.

With the weather improving all the time we moored in shallow water above the locks and almost out of sound of the M1. My turn to do things on the boat so I check the batteries and used a gallon of distilled water to bring them back to level. Sounds a lot doesn’t it but this happens in warm weather.

Thurs 8th
We didn’t move all day. Not strictly true because Mike moved a lot, washing and polishing the starboard side while I lifted a finger, maybe two or even three. He’s a good lad, can’t stop doing things, would do well with a sail-away, a few sheets of ply and a tin of paint. He was just the same at our bottom blacking, even a dunking didn’t deter him.

Fri 9th B8/9 to Crick
Before we weighed anchor we nattered with Jeff and Diana on nb.Matilda Blue. Seems he’s got one of those Alexander shells and knows Chris Wells on nb.Belle (another Sandhills boat like ours). There wasn’t time to find out much about them, only that they were from t’other side of the world and had their sights on doing the French canals when they’d had enough of ours.
We said our “G’day” and headed for the Crick tunnel where the headlamp worked but the starboard nav’ light didn’t. Water in the green glass probably didn’t help.

Moored at Crick we spotted Lisa the BW warden doing her rounds with a two stripes colleague. Notices have gone up along the towpath saying we aren’t welcome after the 21st May and only overnight until then.
I presume this is to clear the area of fine weather boaters who can’t cope with the traditional Crick Boat Show deluge towards the end of May.

No sooner had we stuck ourselves to the bankside piling than Mike jumps into action with sponges and rags and gets to work on the port side of the boat. Can’t remember when I last saw Balmaha looking this shiny. I like to think it wasn’t a put up job but a day later we got our first “Nice boat” comment of the year from a passing narrowboat skipper.

All too soon the fun was over, V returned to take control and the men crept back below decks into the chain locker. Whether it was bags of supplies or just bags of new shoes I couldn’t tell but we could hardly move inside the boat until the bulk of it had been stowed. Where it went I have no idea, there wasn’t any room before so there certainly isn’t any now.

As a nice distraction we hailed Dave and Dil as they wended their way south on nb Trundle. Dave manages Raynsway Marina, for those who think they recognise him, and his good lady manages all the important things like Dave and the sites facilities. Today just happens to be Trundles 1st anniversary.

It was a nice end to the day with another treat from Mike up at the Red Lion.

A “No kids tonight” notice on the door unfortunately meant I wouldn’t have the pleasure of someone else’s youngsters yelling in my ear or kicking the back of my chair but I still managed to enjoy a beautiful stuffed chicken with chips, yes, real chips, very much a luxury these days.

Saturday 10th
Like all parties our fun had to come to an end and while Mike headed back home by road, V and me took off towards the countryside and a spot of piling by bridge 14.

Thanks Mike and thanks Pat for lending him, we couldn’t have shifted the boat without your sacrifice and I have to say the company was very welcome. The meals out were best but home cooking was a close second, at least the ones he prepared were. It was surprising just how many naval stories we could remember after all these years and it was nice that the Royal Navy got on so well with the Real Navy.

I suppose I must have done something with the second half of the day but for the life of me I can’t remember what. The lamb's bahhhing and the blackbird’s ceaseless trilling heralded night and I slept when the baby woollies gave it a rest. Two fishermen parked up behind us for a 12 hour stint and looked shattered in the morning. This countryside takes a bit of getting used to.

Sunday 11th May
It’s a day for trying out our new solar panel. We’ve had reports from other boaters of success and failure with solar panels so I shall endeavour to log unbiased figures to show exactly what can be expected from a 130 watt Kyocera.
On its first day’s test it produced much less power than the brochure claimed, a mere trickle (1.5A) under cloudless skies or part shielded by trees and up to 6 amps (75% rated power) when pointing straight at the big yellow thing in the sky.
We collected sunshine from dawn ‘til midday and that equates to 24Ah on overnight discharged batteries. To say we charged the batteries would be optimistic as we only managed to reclaim 4Ah of the overnight deficit (-57Ah to -53Ah) as well as coping with the morning’s demand of water pumps, 230VAC fridge and inverter losses.
From 12 noon the panel is shaded though still under cloudless skies and we are back to charging at 1.5amps. In the end we ran the engine to remove the complete -53Ah deficit and let the solar panel trickle charge the battery bank all afternoon while the fridge continued eating into any gains.
I can hear a few yawns so we’ll let that do for now.

We were just getting ready for our first barbeque of the year when Maggie stopped on the towpath to chat as her family cruised past in nb.Forever Young. Wish she’d had more time and I discovered they would love to live on the boat but circumstances will prevent that for a few years. Next time I hope to find out how, where, what, when and why and get a look at their new boat.

That lovely boat MSC Frodsham, a curiosity with a story behind it, I’m sure, passed us first one way and then back again. Yet another boat I’d love to have a look around.

Which brings us to Monday 12th May and yet more wall to wall sunshine. The breeze tells us we’ll have a change before long but I’m hoping there’s no rain involved because the barby could be out again this evening.

Graham stopped by on the way from his back door to the garden and left me with a whip to try (that’s an aerial of course ….) and a wonderful bit of kit for tuning aerials. But the best surprise was a morse key, something I haven’t used in anger for over 25 years. Can’t wait to see how much I’ve forgotten. It’s a good job Portishead Radio isn’t around to listen to the rubbish I’ll be sending.

Monday 28th April 2008
Rushey Lock to Tadpole Bridge
Not a bad day as far as weather goes, the sun was spotted several times and I was able to cast off one of my many layers for fear of overheating. V has a saying “Ne’er cast a clout ‘til May is out” which roughly translates as either don’t throw nails or keep your vest on until June 1st.

Rushey Lock’s bush-work boasts a Lock Ness monster, which didn’t photograph too well, and this ‘ere frog. It was too far away to throw money in its mouth so I dropped a penny in Rushey Lock and made my wish (only joking!).

The wish came true as we ground to a halt under Tadpole Bridge and found an empty mooring outside the Trout Inn.
By midday our guests Rip and Dot had arrived.
In the year of their diamond wedding anniversary this couple are still driving hundreds of miles to see old friends. We’ve known R&D for over 25 years and could tell you many funny stories of people and places and problems like missing the boat to England and felling trees across neighbour’s fences. Food has always had its place and today was no exception as we shared a meal in the Trout Inn. Thank you Rip and Dot for spoiling us yet again.

It was sad to see these guys leave because we have no idea when we’ll see them again.
I’ve offered to try and find Rip’s crew mates from his WW2 days aboard minesweepers MMS217 and BYMS2181 so if anyone knows of 80 year old RN types who spent time in Scotland on experimental minesweeping or sailed a new sweeper from Chicago to the Indian Ocean between 1943 and 1945 please let me know.
Not only that but if anyone has pictures of these two boats (ships?) then gissa-copy for my gradually expanding ships website.

Tuesday
Set off from Tadpole Bridge with the wind behind us thinking the road was clear only to see the top of a sail heading towards our next bend in the river. How does one deal with a sailing boat tacking on a blind corner? Needn’t have worried, he’s rowing, phew!!

Pulled in at the little mooring above Eynsham Lock with time to spare so messed about with a single sideband transceiver and an assortment of aerials. The best results came from a 65 foot wire slung over the trees with a fishing weight on the end. Managed to talk to G8LUV (Hi Graham), Malcolm and Trevor with a short link to someone in the Isle of Mull.

Rain stopped play and it turned so cold that we lit the fire. Lit the fire several times because we’re doing solid fuel rather than wood and my skills with paper and sticks, sorry kindling, never reached Year 7 standards.

Wednesday
Started off under a cloud and hadn’t gone far before the sky started leaking. Not severe, not enough to make me wear waterproof trousers, I hate those things, they slip down or feel like they’re going to slip down and they restrict ones jumping distance. I know what you’re saying, you shouldn’t jump, always step not jump. I tell V the same thing but don’t always follow my own advice.

V spotted a mink on the way down river, a moorhen in the bushes was flapping and squawking and when we got close we saw this mink pulling back from a nest licking his lips. Yummy an egg, he said, where’s the bacon?

No lockie at King’s Lock, just builders making a visitor centre. V did her stuff and was soon wielding the giant’s boat hook to shut the far gate. So many talents in this girl.

A very pleasant cruise down the slope into Oxford, only one rower to avoid and we saw thousands of baby geese pecking the meadow grass, yes we’ve seen diddy geese and ducks but no coot or moorhen chicks.

Thursday 1st May 2008
Two things to do today, one is to meet a Tesco delivery and the other is to meet Mike (ex nb.Hyperion) who is helping me move the boat northwards on the Oxford Canal while V house sits in East Anglia.
Thanks Pat for sparing the old fella, glad the decorating could wait, ‘though he’ll need a holiday after this.

There will be more news to follow but I can’t say when it will get done, might be too busy having fun.

Tuesday 22nd April 2008
Oxford to Eynsham
Woke up to find it was light but definitely not sunny, nor warm. Discovered Dusty’s coal boat parked in front, he’d arrived in the night long after we’d turned in. We set off up river under Osney Bridge but thought better of it and reversed back for three bags of coal.

Setting off again we turned right into the Oxford Canal.
Got hailed by Maffi on the towpath heading towards town and spotted his and Bones’ boat further along. We are back in the company of canal bloggers again.

We thought this might have been a short cut to King’s Lock and the start of our journey to Lechlade but being “Agenda 21” mooring country it was well stuffed with boats and it reduced our cruise to a crawl.

Spotted our first chick of the year (not to be confused with Oxford’s young ladies). We must be the last ones to see anything from this year’s production line, but could I get him/her to turn round and face the camera?

Under the A34 and left at Duke’s Bridge, we were relieved to be back on the Thames and up to speed again as we resumed our cruise to Lechlade.

There is space for one boat above the water point at Eynsham Lock and we nabbed it.
While I played with radio aerials V walked to town to check out the shops.
We were wondering what to do with the evening when Maffi and Bones turned up with a bottle. Lovely people, lots to talk about and we’ll need several more sessions to do them justice. Thanks you guys, hope to see you again.

Wed/Thurs - Eynsham to Kelmscott
Up at the crack of dawn with a decent day’s cruising ahead we had the river to ourselves.
The water was clear, the river twisting like a snake and the lock keepers chatty and glad to see a boat.

Doing what everyone else does we presumed we had rights and bagged a space by The Plough at Kelmscott. Closed for the time being, it is likely our neighbours along this tow path aren’t patrons but residents .

Every one was very polite during our two day visit and we felt we could have stayed longer if we’d needed to. V did the circular tour of the half a dozen houses and the Manor before declaring “nothing of particular note in these here parts”.

Some people take their moorings very seriously and do anything to stop people getting ashore.

Flies are still having parties in the boat overnight. We squashed hundreds before breakfast. At times like this I wish we kept pet lizards or grew venus fly traps.

Friday - Kelmscott to Lechlade
We thought BW’s canal staffing levels were being hit hard but things don’t look too hot for EA’s Thames lock-keepers either. Allegedly, announcements have been made that 22 out of 50+ keepers will be disposed off and their tied houses or cottages will go on the market. If, as is thought, temporary contract staff replace permanent lock-keepers then it’s goodbye to another excellent waterways service and hello to transit delays, run down lock-side gardens and a look-after-yourself mentality.
Can you imagine an uncommitted, non resident, contract lock keeper taking the trouble to keep gardens like this? And it’s not just gardens because every handrail, bollard and step edge is kept freshly painted.

Perhaps we’ll see more locks like St Johns which may already have its new keeper. This fella looks ready to take on the gardening.

Looking at the lock keeper’s incident book gives an idea of the enormous responsibility and skills these guys hold (the real ones not the stone ones).

Arriving at Lechlade we couldn’t resist the walk to town. A welcoming atmosphere and a few local “characters” make this a pleasant visit. A host of useful and practical antiques shops can’t be rushed. Moorings alongside the meadows are plentiful, we were number three boat at midday and by evening there were only eight with space for a few more.

But best of all, the sun came out, worst of all so did the gnats.

Sat - Lechlade to Radcot
We left both blue light mozzy killers switched on last night and only found 18 gnats still functioning in the boat this morning. A visit to the cratch later, during a water top-up, revealed a couple of million more which convinced me we’re doing the right thing inside the boat.

Unlike the other boaters on Lechlade meadows we declined the convenience of a turning point outside the marina, near the town bridge and continued to the end of navigation. Tricky but it can be done is how I’d put it, though how to turn a 72 footer I can not imagine. Two rivers join at a huge sand bank and one has to spin on the spot or risk getting stuck. “Stick your bow against the tree with scuff marks on it” was what we were told by a lock keeper and we almost got that right.

A cloud of brown water followed us downstream for half a mile after our prop clashed with the corner of the sand bank.

We discovered plenty of field side moorings near Radcot with water almost deep enough to step straight onto the bank. One has to go by the book when tying up because there are no EA “free mooring” signs to be seen. I’ve heard people say it’s worth keeping a fiver ready for the enterprising farmers.
It can be fun turning to face into the flow for a mooring. The river is wide enough but plastic cruisers buzz up and down and one has to time the turn just right or catch one in the side.
We caught this one scraping the remains of the previous collision off his bow.

And the sun came out again, could this be a record – two days in a row?

Sunday 27th April 2008
Radcot to Rushey Lock
Another warm sunny day. Stopped at a field edge above Rushey Lock, very, very nice. Heard first cuckoo in the trees near by and after listening to the curlews calling as they trod the bogs we finally spotted a couple. Funny looking things, bit like chickens with a 12 inch stick stuck up their noses, makes mine look almost normal.
Didn’t get a picture of the curlew so here’s the next best thing – a WW2 pillbox, one of trillions along the river. It’s got two eyes and a stick up its nose.

It’s Pam’s birthday today, congratulations on reaching another biggy!!
Hawaii something “O” if I’m not mistaken, though you wouldn’t think so looking at you.
Pam and Terry are out on nb.Rivendell this week somewhere near Stone on the Trent & Mersey. Hope your weather’s as fabulous as ours. “Rain all day” is actually sun all day down here, dooohhhh, and it’s a gorgeous day for sitting outside in shorts and T shirt and it’s a pity it’s the closed season for river fishing.

I know I’ve said it before but this river Thames thing is getting to me, I think I’m going to seriously miss it when we get back on the canals. It’s like another world.

Tomorrow we get a treat, we’re calling in a pub restaurant and meeting old Bournemouth friends. Really looking forward to seeing them and some proper grub.

Monday 14th April 2008

What’s going on? Reports are coming in of ducklings, cygnets and goslings appearing all over England but we’ve seen nothing. Sure, swans and geese are sitting down a lot, and we’ve seen an egg, a solitary egg, but no offspring, not a sausage. Methinks reports have been much exaggerated.

Meanwhile we left the space and comfort of Marlow and managed a respectable 4mph against the flow. Yes, it seems the Thames is back to normal.

The weather wasn’t brilliant though and we studied the underneath of dozens of grey clouds on our journey north.

Just for fun we speculate on the price of houses along the way, though we haven’t a clue what they’d fetch, not even the boat houses.
Even the boat houses are out of our league, such is their grandeur.

I like the more unusual homes, such as the house with its attached stone ruin.

But no matter whether they be grand designs or not they all communicate with us through their little notices on the water’s edge that shout “No Mooring” or “Strictly No Mooring” as if they really mean it this time.

A certain smug feeling arises when we stumble across free moorings opposite the stinking rich and more than once the thought has crossed my mind to add sawdust or an oily rag to the fire.

Today our treat for lunch was black swan. Not to eat (this time) but to admire his colours and squeaky voice. The last time we saw a black swan was in Ely, over on the Fens.

Shiplake lock (try saying that after having a tooth filled at the dentist) gave us the opportunity for a pump-out. This is the first time for weeks, even months. We’ve been carrying the best part of a tank full of goo through eight English counties, and now was the time to let it go.

EA’s sucking machine didn’t know when to stop and after emptying, rinsing and rinsing again we still had credit from our £7 swipe card. Well done EA, that’s what I call value for money. The only down side is that we have a starboard list again.

Shiplake to Sonning is, allegedly, Terry Wogan country so we got all excited when we spotted the sit-on lawnmower doing its stuff outside the most likely looking house. It wasn’t him but until proven otherwise it was chalked up as a ‘maybe’ in the celebrity Eye-Spy book.

Our day ended on the river bank at Sonning where all the best trees had been taken and we had to revert to mooring pins. V explored the village and reported back that there was nothing to get excited about.

Sonning’s water supply was all very pretty but wouldn’t do for our needs so we left without refilling the water tank.

Tuesday 15th
From Sonning we carried on south, sounds funny but that’s upstream, to Kings Meadow, Reading. Just after the Kennet & Avon turn off we pulled into Tesco’s moorings for a proper shop.

Couldn’t resist stopping at Pangbourne meadows for lunch, the wind had dropped, the sun was out and we ate on deck. Also, being lazy we didn’t fancy doing the next lock ourselves, it’s always better to wait until the lock keeper comes back on duty and does the work for free.

Dredger dodging was fun especially when they’re doing 10 mph smack in the middle of the river on a sharp bend.

Wouldn’t like to say where we heard this but there are murmurings in EA’s camp about the threat of further de-manning. Moves are afoot to automate the weir sluices which might mean automatic dumping of flood water onto lower stretches of the Thames during prolonged rainfall. Sounds alright until one realises it’s the lockkeepers who currently do this job and it’s they who tell boat skippers their intentions so they can find secure moorings. No lock keepers means no advice or warnings which could mean serious problems for boaters when the weather turns.
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Moored at Goring for the night. Didn’t walk to town, there’s so little there, it’s almost as quiet as Sonning.

Wed 16th
Next stop Abingdon. Saw more lovely boats along the way, I’m drooling again.

If you haven’t already noticed I can’t help looking at boat houses. Many have that Tudor look, some have chimneys and a few have kept their original leaded windows.

Others have suffered unsympathetic improvements or look just plain neglected but they still retain something of the charm of an old Thames boat house.

Spotted some amazing brickwork on one house, but I wasn’t sure if this was a recent build or a case of bad weathering.

We called it a day at Abingdon. The mooring rings and the notices say “Welcome – enjoy your stay” so we did. Five days of feet up, hosting Steve and Joyce from Exeter, Tez and Claire from Leicester and I still had a little time left over to start a couple of projects. I owe a big thank you to Graham who supplied the bits to indulge my latest hobby and by my measurements the bit on the top will be 33 feet above the water.

Sunday 20th
By the afternoon we were just the two of us again. But we weren’t alone, the Abingdon Gala kicked in and flocks of rowers went down river and came back exhausted.

Singles, doubles and eights with rowers of all ages, even white-tops, but not everyone was happy about it, one poor lad was in tears.

Monday 21st April 2008
Made an early start this morning, filling with diesel at Abingdon while it was still relatively cheap. How did we sink so low that we felt good paying 70p/litre? Just because there are worse rip-offs up the road we feel we’ve done well when actually we’ve paid a small fortune and that’s before the proposed rise in fuel duty for boats.

The good news is that we spotted swifts and swallows zooming around us as our bow wave disturbed the fast breeding Thames gnats. Not only have we seen little birds but this week we’ve seen big-uns too like kites and buzzards.
The bad news is that it has turned so wet and cold that we are now being followed by an albatross.

But it’s not all gloom, this little gem of a boat appeared out of nowhere this morning and made my day.

V shouted out “Come and see this” as we passed them going t’other way and our bow wave reduced their free-board to zero. My smile froze as I contemplated a river rescue.

Perhaps I shouldn’t complain the next time the Yarmouth Belle swamps us at our moorings.
You see, there’s always someone worse off.

Tues 8th April – Shepperton to Runnymede
A lovely sunny day for a cruise up river. Once tied to the river bank it was too nice to stay indoors. I allowed myself the ‘treat’ of walking a few miles over fields and parkland bordering the Thames to the spot given by Sir Eugene and Lady Effie Millington-Drake for the memorial ‘To Commemorate Magna Carta’.

Plaques below the monument state that there were 63 clauses in the original Charter.
Now enshrined in law, custom and practice clauses 41 and 42 state “the right of free and safe passage” and I am reminded that my free bus pass comes due this year.

Further up the hill, through woodlands and bordering grazing land blighted with Foot & Mouth disease, we found the somewhat larger memorial to those 116,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Air Forces who lost their lives in war.

Opened by the Queen in 1953 the buildings are now open to the public. We found it in immaculate condition, thought provoking and a useful place to see the roof tops of London. Circular staircases take visitors upwards and even after reading the warnings for those with a medical condition I still made the journey to the roof’s viewing platform to see the aircraft hangers of Heathrow and the tops of London city’s highest buildings.

Amazed at what the legs could still do we continued walking behind the waterfront buildings in search of the “Cyprus Donkey” restaurant. A change of ownership has replaced Greek cuisine with Sam’s Diner. Prices are an improvement but menu isn’t half as exciting.

We were moored right under the flight path from Heathrow and didn’t we know it. 7am to gone 11pm the air was shaken without a break. One wonders how the locals manage.

Wed 9th – Runnymede to Windsor Racecourse
Bridges make good landmarks on the Thames and remind us of the towns and roads that we are more familiar with. Some bridges are signed to direct us to the correct arch while others let you get on with it and it’s not until you’re right below them that you can see why boats usually choose the centre arch. Dead trees, car tyres, gas cylinders and parts of boats lie under the surface waiting to catch the unwary.

Just about every stone built bridge we encountered had suffered major repairs and all traces of original stones with mason’s marks, at water level, have long disappeared.

A bridge with beautiful stone abutments can lose its beauty and character when the centre sections are replaced by steel and concrete spans.

Pulling up next to one of Eton’s boat houses we re-discovered a log stash and topped up our dwindling reserves.
I’d just started splitting logs for the fire when an upmarket cruiser with white leather upholstery and animal skin carpets pulled in behind us. Seeing a live-aboard destroying the peace and tranquillity they changed their mind and pulled away heading off into the sunset for something better. That’s how we keep the moorings to ourselves.

Thurs 10th – Windsor to Marlow
This morning the Thames is ours, there’s no one else on the water and we are king of the castle.

The sun is out, the wind has dropped and the only ripples are those we make as we glide between banks of weeping willows, beech and plane trees. This has got to be why boats visit the Thames and never leave. I could stay here longer but for the cost of living.

The loneliness didn’t last, a small but well put together Dutch barge pulled out and joined us at the lock.

Nice couple onboard, they’ve a working boat on the GU and this is a new purchase, a 105 year old unmodernised sailing barge from Holland.

We hit Marlow in the sunshine and were joined by plastic cruisers, most filled with teenagers (bad news) but all very polite (good news), apart from one lad who insisted on stepping on our gunwales as he walked past. Yes, we know the boat rolls when you do that, it just isn’t funny that’s all.
Went to see what the ducks were pecking and found a dead’un floating feet-up. She was cut about the neck and drowned. Nature – red in beak and claw.
I pulled her body out and covered it in the weeds behind the fence. The males didn’t seem to understand their sport was over, they circled looking down in the water as if she had to be there somewhere.
Just for Claire we found this rather unusual duck. Brilliant colours, a bit like the Mandarin duck we saw at Pangbourne.

Fri 11th – Marlow to Cookham
What a contrast with yesterday. We were hit by rain, hail and thunderstorms. We steered under Cookham bridge and waited until the worst was over. We’d gone back down river for water and a fresh mooring, EA only permit 24 hour stays so today we chose the green grass of Cookham, it was only a £4 fee, or so we thought. Come 6 o’clock we were ‘knocked up’ to pay £6, the penalty for having a narrowboat.
Cookham wasn’t half the size I thought it was, Been here on business but it doesn’t look the same by river.

Sat 12th – Cookham to Marlow
This could be a sunny or a rainy day, the signs are there for both. The warm weather is bringing out the creepy crawlies and I squashed a strange looking stripey thing crawling up the wall. The bath was splattered with gnats, meaning it will soon be time to look out the blue lights of the mozzy killers.
The trip back to Marlow was made more interesting by an assortment of cruisers out on hire and weekend rowers that pushed their way between us.

What’s nice about this time of year is there are no fishing lines to dodge. Apart from one guy in waders who exempted himself because he was “casting not fishing”.

We’ve a visitor tonight, a south coast cousin. No stranger to this part of the world he might enjoy a trip on the water tomorrow, weather permitting.

Sunday 13th April 2008 - lower Marlow to higher Marlow.
Guest installed, fed, watered, rested and Marlow lock just 100 yards ahead it was time to stop nattering and get under way. By ten o’clock the free moorings in town should be clearing so we’ll take our pick and settle in before the rented plastic arrives.

The early birds are undoubtedly the rowers and canoeists. It wasn’t easy passing the canoes with rowers whizzing up from behind and squeezing between us, eager to get away from the guy with the loud hailer. Roger did his turn at the tiller and he turned out to be a ‘natural’ though canals would have been a fairer test.

Lunching aboard we nattered again, covering essential family history, until it was time to part.
Unsure how we’ll ever get to Bexhill without a working Wey & Arun Canal we could only hope that one day we’d be able to accept Roger’s offer of a night down south.

From here our general course is north towards the Oxford Canal but there’s still a lot more Thames to see. It’s the width of water that fascinates me, wind and current add a new dimension to cruising but it’s all achievable with a plodding narrowboat like Balmaha. I shall miss the Thames and its surprises – islands, converted sailing barges, massive houses and manned locks.

None of that do-it-yourself lock stuff down here. Oh I do hope we haven’t changed too much.