Wednesday 31st
August to Tuesday 6th September 2016
We weren’t exactly early about extracting the pins and
heading off on Wednesday morning – about 8:30 was early enough – we would not
be going too far today.
Some weeks ago as we were passing through Sunbury Lock, the
lockie suggested to us that if we were looking for a good mooring, then around
the back of the lock was an area referred to as King’s Park, where spots were
almost always available.
So we wanted to test them out.
Past Hampton Court Palace – pretty well chockers there – up
through Molesey Lock, used the services and then pushed along and diverted to
the right as we approached Sunbury Lock – sure enough, we found some lovely
moorings with plenty of space.
At first it seemed a little close to the road, but upon
checking it didn’t feel like it would be that busy later on.
It was another day of lovely sunshine – not too hot, not too
humid and with a little bit of wind – Goldilocks weather.
A little later the Enforcement Officer came along and Diane
had a good chat with him – fluttering the eyelashes at the right times. Seems
that many of the locals are keeping a lookout on his behalf and advising when
there were boats overstaying – he wasn’t there to see us about that – it was
his normal day to come along and he would be back on Friday.
Diane explained that we hadn’t moored there before and the
area looked interesting – with a wink and a nod we were right until Friday
morning.
I have to say that by the time we did leave, all of the
boats that were initially there, had gone and been replaced with some others –
a sign that people are doing the right thing – particularly when a friendly
face is using their judgement in a good way to enforce the byelaws.
Explore the area we did, but there seemed to be a
predominance of pubs and a decided lack of coffee shops – we found just one –
inside the walled garden – a lovely place to spend a few hours in mild
contemplation.
Huge areas of parkland to wander around – we didn’t do too
much wandering around, there was the little matter of a few cows grazing which
seemed to put Diane off the idea of a wider area walk.
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| Right - youvé been warned |
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| They really were quite OK, if just a little wary of us |
By the time we had left we felt that it was a nice quiet
place to stop; very easy to find a pub; peaceful; we may stop there again given
the chance.
We made it around to the lock at a few minutes after 9am,
thinking that we might just sneak up on the lockie, by not appearing from the
main channel, but no, she was there ready and waiting for us – so straight in
and up – our thanks to her for such efficiency.
Onward now towards Weybridge / Shepperton and seeing where
we could find a mooring.
Our preference was for a place near to Shepperton, but sadly
they were all full; even had a boat in the No MOORING area content to flout the
rules and ignore the sign – encouraging us to do the same on the basis that the
person patrolling wouldn’t be back until Monday – No thanks to you, that is
just not on!
Further around we went – the moorings across from the lock –
on the Weybridge side were full and there were reservations for the 3rd
and 4th anyway, so moved back down through the cutting and then
around the end of Desborough
Island and onto the EA
moorings there – all on our own.
After a walk into Weybridge we came back to find that most
of the spots had gone, but no worries for us, we were settled there.
The weather had not been as brilliant as the two previous
days, but still very enjoyable indeed.
I think that these are brilliant moorings – very quiet, very
peaceful, nice wide waterway, no passing traffic, boats not passing too close.
We had reason to call Teddington Lock to see what the tide
times were for a departure back down to Brentford over the next few days. The
answer didn’t leave us with too many options and we would need to head back the
following morning to Teddington.
It would not need to be a rush trip, but we wanted to not
dally about and so we were ready to set off just after 8am – it would have been
an easy U-turn from the mooring and then head back down river, if it wasn’t for
a pair of rowers who decided to sit right in the middle of the river and have a
chat, despite the clear indication from us that we were wanting to move and
would be going right where they were – they were just happy to sit and have a
nice girly chat until they were ready to move.
Not really a shared river to them.
Carefully entering the main part of the river and avoiding
even more rowers coming downstream at all positions across the river we
negotiated still more of them – ahead of us they would suddenly stop right in
front; coming up from behind (on both sides) and darting in front as though it
was a challenge.
Their handlers (coaches) in their little outboard-powered
row boats were not much better.
When will they learn that someday they will have a serious
accident with a steel-hulled boat and it will be they that come off worse for
wear and we will have a little mark on the blacking.
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Found these guys all moored up below Molesey Lock as we came through -
Dunkirk boats |
Anyway, we cleared Molesey Lock and decided to stop at
Kingston for a break and get a few things that we needed – a lovely spot was
available on the town side (free moorings) so we grabbed it; secured the boat;
got everything done and then set off again, reaching Teddington at not long
after noon – where we would stay for the night.
Went down to check with the lockie about the time tomorrow
and pay for the mooring and found a large number of the Dunkirk boats in the
large lock heading down river for (as the lockie put it – "a G and T before
coming back again”).
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| ...and here are some of them again - heading down river |
A walk into Teddington proper followed and we made it back
to the boat just in time to beat the rain which had been threatening – it may
have been wet outside, but the humidity vanished and it became a bit cooler and much more pleasant.
We had the alarm set for 4:15am but as usual we beat it by
over an hour – the boat was ready by about 4:30 and there was a bit of light in
the distance; we had something to eat and a first coffee for the day – not much
to do but wait for our 5:15am slot – we would be accompanied by two other boats
– neither of whom had made this passage, so we would have to lead – we were the
“experienced” crew having done it once previously.
At the allotted time the gates opened and with not much more
light in the sky we headed off.
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| When I say it was still dark.... |
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| ...it was dark - could still find Diane in her new pink life preserver |
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Apart from the wonky camera work, it was very much like this as
we came out of the lock |
At first it took a little bit to orientate ourselves but
very quickly it became such a wonderful time.
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| Perhaps a better view of what it was like |
There was sufficient light from our tunnel light and from
lights ashore to see where we needed to go, but I do know that having been this
way, even once before, made it vastly easier than not.
The other two boats were a little way back but going well;
we settled in to enjoy the early morning; the sounds of the wildflife waking;
no wild-life ashore on their way home that we could see or hear; and no other
craft on the water – especially no damn rowers.
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| But it did get lighter |
Richmond
was well lit and very lovely in that light, but then again it looks quite good
in total daylight; further along and the first planes were coming into Heathrow
– one after the other – it was a busy Sunday morning in the skies, but for us,
we were a million miles from anywhere.
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| Approaching Richmond |
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| They were still there - not far behind |
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| By now it was a lot lighter in the sky |
Finally it had to end and the Brentford statue came into
view – we did the turn and arrived at the lock just as the lockie was getting
there – he would have a delayed first smoke of the day – we made it a good
quarter of an hour before they thought we would – must have been a fast tide –
it wouldn’t have been Diane’s river speed!
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| Her they come |
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| Just peaceful river cruising - lovin' it |
Back onto the “ditch” again, we shared the first locks with
one of the boats, but they stopped after that for breakfast and we carried on
up the remainder of the locks with the other boat and a couple of nice guys
named Steve and Gavin.
They were great and really switched on about getting through
– no rushing around, just good efficient lock work – at the top, we both needed
to stop for about the 3rd or 4th clearout of props, from
the blanket weed and tree cuttings from further down.
We headed off first, waved our goodbyes and made it to Yiewsley,
found a good mooring and stayed there.
Sunday lunch at Paddington Packet Boat, back to our boat,
watched England
almost miss 3 points, and slept very well – it had been a brilliant day –
something very new to us and thoroughly enjoyable.
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| Lovely lunch to finish off a lovely day |
The following day, Monday, we were joined by Dot and Gordon
and both crews have been here for a couple of days now.
33 Miles, 16 Locks, 2 Tunnels
YTD: 585
Miles (941 km) , 356 Locks, 6 Tunnels, 14 Lift
Bridges, 3 Swing Bridges
Total: 4380 Miles (7049 km), 3055 Locks, 118 Tunnels, 59 Lift Bridges,
170 Swing Bridges
