Sunday 24th July to Friday 29th
July 2016
First up was the need to
fill the water tank and empty the cassette which we managed to take care of at
the Cowley Peachey services – the water tap here is much faster than the one at
Cowley Lock.
It was a slow easy cruise
into Uxbridge – for one thing the moored boats meant that we were slow anyway
and for another there appeared to be something around the prop which would not
budge.
This combined with a couple
of sections of canal since we had got back on at Brentford which were heavily
clogged with weed, was the awakening that we were indeed not in deep, flowing
water anymore.
We were somewhere not like
we had become used to.
I had hoped that we could
clear the prop when we stopped for diesel at Denham Marina, but this was a
particularly busy Sunday morning – a boat in ahead which was just about to
leave and another had come in behind us and a further boat waiting out in the
canal itself – we couldn’t muck about – afterall we could move, so the prop
clearing would wait until we moored up above Uxbridge Lock.
We shared the lock with a
cruiser – the guy seemed particularly keen for us to come in – we had visions
of crushing the cruiser like a bug, if the water coming in was too fast.
In the end we both fitted
pretty well; the water was slow coming in; and no cruisers were “killed” in the
passage through the lock.
Finding a mooring place was
difficult – plenty of boats and just a few spaces where sadly we could get in –
guess that was why there were spaces.
We carried on to Denham Deep
Lock, where we shared with another boat but as I jumped off to help with it,
who should be on the other side but Nikki and Phil with the girls – Mia and
Jess – just out for a bit of a stroll and they nabbed us.
We did finally moor above
the lock, had a cup of tea and a chat and said we would see them later in the
week – it is their house that we will be looking after.
We have moored here before
and it is so lovely that it should be a more frequented spot – next time maybe.
On successive days we then
moved along to moor below Stockers Lock and then in Rickmansworth –
interestingly we had trouble getting TV reception but it wasn’t of any concern
to us at all.
Our plan was to have a bit
of a rest day on Wednesday – rain had been forecast anyway – we checked out
the nearest cinema – Harrow – and the new Bourne movie was on that day – it was
a no brainer for us.
On the train; tickets to the
movie; lunch; then sit back and relax.
Now we love this series of
movies anyway, but we had a special reason to want to see this one soon – and
yes we were in it, well the boat made it into there, our faces were obscured behind the curtains - so very pleased
with that.
--- and we enjoyed the movie
as well.
Just a few miles further
along on Thursday and we had arrived at our destination.
We will be here for a bit of
time – looking after the house and we have now turned this all into a chance to
get through a number of jobs that have been hanging around for a time; also a
chance just to take it a bit easier.
The biggest job that we have
to do is to get the rest of the walls ready to be painted – Friday was the day
– so, clear out as much as we could from both the lounge and the galley/dining
areas – anything that would attract dust.
Then Diane sanded her way
through it all whilst I washed the boat; after that it was vacuuming time and
then put everything back – job done and “dusted” in about 3½ hours.
 |
| Bookcases cleared; knick-knacks all gone... |
 |
| ...the wine storage covered up... |
 |
| ...kitchen cleared... |
 |
| ...and ready to go |
A great deal of relief for
both of us to get that one out of the way.
So now we can enjoy the rest
of the day and plan for the painting.
 |
| A satisfied look at lunch - glad that the job was done |
I think the other plan that
Diane has involves baby sitting the washing machine and the bath – access to
unlimited power and hot water is now with her.
 |
| Not sure that he has enough fenders - maybe he is an ex-cruiser owner |
11 Miles, 11 Locks
YTD: 482
Miles (776 km) , 311 Locks, 4 Tunnels, 14 Lift
Bridges , 3 Swing Bridges
Total: 4277 Miles (6883 km), 3010 Locks, 116 Tunnels, 59 Lift Bridges ,
170 Swing Bridges
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