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.