Out of the mist – The Flying Dutchman

Saturday 8^th October to Thursday 13^th October 2016

Heading further west, we made a bit of a getaway from Windsor at around our normal time with the intended destination of Maidenhead – we hadn’t seen it before – but with £8 mooring signs everywhere and not enthralling itself to us, we thought that we may as well keep cruising, eventually mooring at Bourne End where we have been before.

Grabbing the last mooring on the railway side, it was quite a nice one, if you tried to ignore and not step in the bloody goose shit.

Anyway we moored up and settled down; wandered into town; Diane found a top to buy and also coffee.

It was just a good chance to rest a bit more – spent a lot of the afternoon just reading and then watched a better display from England – albeit against Malta – and Diane watched her Strictly (and I did as well!).

 

I know that most people who read this blog know what we look like, but I have
to include one of the both of us for Diane's parents - Mil and Fil - just so
that they remember what we look like - they are old, you know.

Sunday was a better day and we still have a bit of a schedule to meet – bottom of the Napton flight before 7^th November, so although we didn’t go far, we were still travelling – ended up on the moorings below the lock at Marlow – right in the sun and the panels and batteries were loving it.

The feel of autumn is well and truly with us – some lovely warming sun (not hot) but the air is cold (rather than cool) and the wind is now stronger.

Diane decided a lovely way to start Monday, before we moved, would be breakfast at Slug and Lettuce (half-price) – so for under a tenner we both ate very well indeed.

Then we were off again – this time intending to stop at Medmenum, but something suggested to us to go up through Hambledon Lock and moor there – egods! £8 a night there – not an your nelly! If we were going to pay to moor around Henley then it would be down in the town itself and so we moored there – right alongside the lovely park area – we wandered into town – had to pick up a few things – wandered back – I had had time earlier to get the £10 ready in small denomination coins, but sadly (and I was bitterly disappointed), the warden didn’t come around to collect his money – I refuse to go somewhere to pay the mooring fee – they can bloody well come to me and collect it.

The bridge at Henley with the Isis figure head
on the upstream side

So, to make sure of it we left very early the next morning with the money in our pocket and not someone else’s.

There was a bit of mist on the river as we made it to Marsh Lock, but as we departed the mist turned to fog and quite thick – entering the enveloping atmosphere, we disappeared from sight from where we had come; forward progress found us exiting and reentering the fog – if this had been on seas further afield we would have been taken as a craft of other circumstances.

 

Approaching Marsh Lock - the object in the water ahead of us is just a duck,
although when I first looked it, it looked a bit like a fin.

With the mist comes the cold, and it was my chance to do
the locking and get a bit warmer. Diane as usual handled
the boat without any problems

Into the fog we go, maybe never to be seen again, except as a ghost ship!

A mile or so further along the sun started to shine through and the mist disappeared, but up to then it was a surreal feeling – the river so calm and the air so fresh.

 

The sun did come out to play later on and here we are just
outside Uri Geller's old house

The bridge at Sonning - always so lovely, but no sign of George Clooney anywhere

After filling the water tank at Shiplake Lock Services (Diane had finished the washing so the tank would be filled completely) we carried on heading further west – our aim was Reading and thanks to Dot and Gordon (nb Ewn Ha Cul) we headed down the K and A and after passing through Blake’s Lock it was a right-hand turn and we moored up behind Reading Goal.

 

Now we can say that we have been on the K and A, all-be-it for just a mile or so.

...but it was a nice mile for an old industrial area

We were in the sun but slightly under a horse-chestnut tree, but with good reception.

The weather has been steadily getting cooler and we have daily putting the Reflecs on in the late afternoon and early evening; the wind was not strong but obviously enough that every so often there would be a bang on the roof as the chestnuts were blown off the tree and landed on us.

It was such a nice place that we decided to spend an extra day there, with part of the time taken up with some shopping – a bit of a walk to Lidl but worth it – in terms of saving money and just the exercise.

It seems the ideal place to moor when visiting Reading and if we are ever here again we would certainly moor here again – Thanks Dot, thanks Gordon!

 

And to remind us of our daughter Sam!

27 Miles, 12 Locks

YTD:  694 Miles (1117 km) , 392 Locks, 10 Tunnels, 14 Lift Bridges, 3 Swing Bridges

Total: 4489 Miles (7224 km), 3091 Locks, 122 Tunnels, 59 Lift Bridges, 170 Swing Bridges

Get-Togethers, Goodbyes and Good Luck

Thursday 7^th July to Tuesday 12^th July 2016

There had been some serious texting that had taken place the previous evening between Diane and Sue and others – a phone call being the final part of all of this – arrangements were being negotiated; travel times carefully worked out; watches were being synchronised.

All very military procedures worked out and an early dawn movement carried out.

All hush hush and on a need to know basis – which of course left Andy and I out of the loop – we didn’t need to know, we simply had to follow orders.

Shortly before 8am, it was engines started; fenders raised and ropes untied – we headed off – firstly a 180^o manoeuvre to head downstream; one lock to stealth our way through.

The church at Marlowe..

Marlowe bridge

The restaurant "The Compleat Angler" in deference to the author of the book
- Izaak Walton (1594-1683) who was from Marlowe

saw these as we passed by and thought - not for me - an open window at night
and the sound of all that rushing water - I would be up all night

A bit quieter here but probably out of our price range

Letting the current take us, engines on virtual tickover to reduce the noise, we crept along until out prey was in sight.

Only trouble was that Diane had been texting to Carol on Still Rockin’ of our approach, so we had a welcoming party ready for us – we reached the objective 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

Objective reached - Vic at the front checking out the invaders

George at the back making sure there are enough fenders

Festina Lente breasted up to Sue and Vic (No Problem XL) and ourselves with Carol and George.

It was a lovely get together, be it a bit early for some but with the sun trying to get through the early morning cloud cover, it was starting to get a little bit of warmth in the air.

Still Rockin’ would be moving off this morning and this would be probably our only chance to see them for a while, as well as Sue and Vic; we had never moored near here before, so Diane and George had spoken the previous evening about us taking their spot.

Anyway, it didn’t take long for an inspection tour of No Problem XL; for the kettle to be put on; and for the welsh cakes and biscuits to come out – we all gathered on the aft deck of Still Rockin’.

A little later nb Holderness (Tony and Helen) were approaching – a quick U-turn from them and they managed to moor up at the back – the cruiser had just left.

So the numbers swelled to 11 – if only we had a set of stumps and a bat and ball.

 

from left Carol (with Molly), Tony, Helen, Andy, Sue, George, Vic, Sue (other Sue), Diane and Betty

I have said it before, but it is get-togethers such as this that stick in your mind and make this wonderful life even more fulfilling.

But all good things must end – Helen and Tony were off and not long after so were Carol and George.

FL pulled in at the back – us at the front – Sue and Vic were staying an extra day to get things delivered and some things seen to on their boat.

By this stage it was approaching lunch time so a visit to the pub was not out of order – enjoyed lunch, sitting outside in the sunshine; the girls decided to walk into town afterwards and we all got together later on.

 

Lunch time and out on the deck at The Spade Oak

Coffee time!!

The following morning Diane and I took a stroll into town so that she could show me the place – I think the idea of fresh pastries had also crossed her mind.

After our return to the boat, everyone was awake and we thought it appropriate to head off about then as well, so goodbyes all around and both FL and Ferndale headed downstream – what a lovely time the previous 24 hours had been.

FL were ahead of us, as we had stopped for water – they found moorings at Dorney Lake – the site of the rowing events for the 2012 Olympics – in fact very good moorings.

There seemed to have been some kind of corporate events day on at the site – involving physical activities – the last being running – we caught the end of it.

Diane and I strolled around the lake in its entirety – Sue, Andy and Sue’s mum Betty returned to FL.

At Dorney Park - the sculpture at the back is a sun-dial - though we
couldn't see any results on this cloudy day.

It's a bloody long way to the finish line at the other end

It is quite a way around the course – up and back as well as the extras – about 5km in total.

Later on we sat outside to just simply enjoy the day – I think it was mainly tea that we were drinking but whatever it was we did just relish the chance to relax.

Next day we separated, Sue, Betty and Andy would be stopping in Windsor whilst we would head further along heading for Staines – again we hadn’t been there before so another place to see, that we would not otherwise have visited.

Windsor Castle - very majestic rising above the river..

...perhaps less so, from the other side...

...still for me, I would take this little cottage - private moorings and all

Down the way we came across the flotilla of Dunkirk boats making their way up to Windsor for a day of boat trips for people at a well-to-do function. Next week they would be heading to Henley for another gathering of vintage boats

Not in the same class at those above, this dragon boat and crew were out
for a bit of practice

The moorings outside the Slug and Lettuce were recommended to us and as they were free we took one.

As a public service advice notice - this is not the way to attach mooring lines - all lines should ALL be around the bollards -
but here in Staines it was the accepted mooring technique as we saw cruiser after cruiser adopting the same method.
Would have loved to have seen the effect if the fence had been not quite so stable.

Along the Thames, Staines would be seen as another typical late-developing town – there may have once been some sites worthy of note but these (if they were ever there) have either disappeared or been forgotten – it is a town like many others around the country – at least we got some shopping done and free coffee (Waitrose) – a market of sorts in the centre.

Although the moorings had been recommended, we had forgotten that we were there on a Saturday and that S and L whilst a nice place to eat, it is a late-closer (1am) – so we had a much-interrupted sleep – not helped by some idiot who jumped on the roof and back off again.

We then stayed up until the patrons had all left – the lights being on in the boat deterred any others from our boat, but we saw other boats further along receive similar treatment from guys with too much alcohol in them and too little sense.

The bad behaviour was not restricted to the guys, with one woman (could not call her a lady) deciding that she needed to pee – so with knickers around her ankles and dress hitched up around her waist she did her business – her friends helping her re-dress and support her intoxicated body – not a nice enduring memory of Staines – sort of lived up to it’s name.

Not really wishing to stay any longer we were off again, this time making for Shepperton; along with Dot and Gordon (nb Ewn Ha Cul) we had booked to cruise along the Basingstoke.

D and G had indicated to us that there were some good moorings at Shepperton around the side of the original course of the river – before the Desborough Cut was made.

Of course, they are desirable moorings and a bit confusing – we worked it all out and managed through luck to grab the last mooring in the correct location (some of the length is NO MOORING and some 24 hours).

With no-one else moving and both Ewn Ha Cul and Festina Lente fast approaching there was only one option – they both breasted up – fortunately we were on rings and therefore no problems with any pins loosening overnight.

 

Three boats breasted up - we were still less wide than the two large
cruisers that were here earlier

enjoying Dot's famous pasties - at least Andy was smiling

Adding more glitter and glam to the boat was this dragonfly
courtesy of Dot's skills - thanks Dot and worth every penny

I am not going to repeat Diane's title to this picture which she
put on Facebook - which referred to the uppermost character

Trouble x 5 and there is Gordon the chief mischief maker at the back

Diane made arrangements with the Boots chemist to accept a prescription; made arrangements with her surgery to send it to Shepperton; we walked around the area; sat outside and enjoyed some more tea/coffee/red wine/cider – decided that we would spend an extra day – afterall we were the last to arrive – had to adjourn to FL to escape the rain for another get together.

Part of Diane’s aforementioned arrangements included posting a letter to the surgery – I of course “got volunteered” to go up and post it – but I was especially touched that Andy and Gordon thought that they should act as escorts/guards on my sacred duty – so we headed off at about 6pm on our entrusted mission.

This walking to the postbox and guarding work can become quite thirsty work so naturally we had to stop along the way back to take on refreshments – but I suspect that the girls knew what we were up to – can’t get anything past them.

On the Sunday we had received word that there were problems on the Basingstoke and a call on Monday morning confirmed that the locks at Brookwood were out of action – with no guarantees of when they would be fixed (despite some not-too-confident reassurances that it would be only a couple of days) we reluctantly cancelled our passages and received a full refund. The main problem for us was that with a non-refundable passage along the Wey we could end up just doing a few miles on the Basingstoke and need to return without seeing the canal in its full splendour.

Early mornings have become the usual for all of us now and Tuesday was no different – we untied from everyone else and were away about 8am – but not before there was much hugging and kissing (and that was just the guys) – FL were heading west again – we were heading east.

Down through two locks and a few miles – our new objective were the moorings outside Hampton Court Palace – these are also much sought after – imagine our surprise when we found a huge choice of where we could moor up – so we did.

One other reason for the early start was that there was a reasonable chance of rain (and not the light stuff either) – weather predictions were spot on – just as we headed out for a walk, it came down – luckily Diane has been known to have an umbrella or two on her person.

We had already been to the Palace so it was other things that we wished to do.

This precipitation wouldn’t stop us from crossing the bridge and have a bit of a wander around East Molesey for a bit.

Wet days are not to be sneezed at – they are meant to be enjoyed in a different way – and walking in the light rain (as it had now become) without it being cold was equally enjoyable to a lot of other things we could have been doing.

It is still nice to return to the dryness of the boat and the relative warmth (i.e. without the wind) – but we had had a lovely couple of hours and just doing not much at all.

The moorings here are free for the first 24 hours – so tomorrow it would be another day of cruising – but the plans were for a short day.

  

32 Miles, 13 Locks

YTD:  408 Miles (653 km) , 271 Locks, 4 Tunnels, 14 Lift Bridges, 3 Swing Bridges

Total: 4157 Miles (6651 km), 2970 Locks, 116 Tunnels, 59 Lift Bridges, 170 Swing Bridges

Dark Shadows, catastrophe and heritage trails

Monday 27^th June to Wednesday 6^th July 2016

We hung on in Thrupp for one more day before finally heading off early on Tuesday morning down to Oxford to moor up in Jericho; Sue and Andy veered off at Dukes Cut to head west on the Thames; Dot and Gordon carried onto Jericho where both boats moored up – there were what you might call “plenty of moorings for this area” and thus we had no problems.

We had seen most of the stuff in Oxford but still managed to while away a couple of hours before getting a message from Dot and Gordon– “fancy a drink” in Bookbinders – “hell yeah”.

A couple of bottles of red went down rather well before we walked back to the boats.

Just a late afternoon drink - Gordon was up for it!

Not long after, catastrophe hit – just simply wanting a cup of tea, the kettle was taking a bit of time to boil and would never have done so as we found out.

I had changed over the gas bottles just a day earlier, but we were out of gas – I can only blame myself for not tightening the connection fully – no chance of purchasing new bottles until the next morning.

Gordon came to the rescue loaning us their spare bottle for the evening; following morning we returned it; moved the boat down to the East Street mooring and strolled down to the Calor Gas Centre just a few hundred metres away and bought two new bottles – just £52 – back on board they were properly installed and we were literally “cooking with gas”.

First lock of the day - self service - the cruiser behind us was game coming in with us

Wednesday and we were ready to head off early; just waited got Dot and Gordon to come down through Isis Lock and then we headed off; we caught up with Andy and Sue who the previous day had about-faced and made back towards Oxford on the Thames but with no moorings until Sandford Lock had to settle for that.

Caught sight of and said hello to Tony (alias Peter) and Helen on nb Holderness who had moored there also – Diane had been reading their blog and knew they were around.

The three boats continued down to Abingdon where we moored up; Festina Lente morred behind us and Ewn Ha Cul carried on to Day’s Lock.

Abingdon

We had stopped at Abingdon last year but I had not been able to have a good look around and Diane liked the town so we thought that this was a good place to stop and with pleasant mooring it was an easy choice to make.

A bit of shopping and a bit of walking and we were largely satisfied; perhaps another day to just relax and enjoy the open space that we had been afforded would have been nice, but we do have a bit of a schedule (yet again!).

So it was onto Day’s Lock where it seemed that a great gathering of boats had occurred – well at least enough to make sure that the available mooring spots were all taken, but never to worry we breasted up next to Ewn Ha Cul and were behind Richard and Sharon (nb Oakapple).

We were being shadowed now as Holderness appeared from out of the sun (well just from the west) – they ventured through the lock to find a mooring spot below – hopefully.

Again, last year I had missed the walk into Dorchester; Dot wanted to see the archeological dig (in the middle of the allotments – probably likely to find an ancient carrot and cabbage as much as anything else).

The archeological dig - or is it just that the potatoes are ready for picking

Morning view...

...evening view

It was a lengthy walk into the town, but essentially it was well worth it – it has been the scenery used for many films and TV  shows – most notably Midsomer Murders – a visit to the church and to the museum and it would also have been an afternoon tea but the café wasn’t open - as a very last resort we opted for a drink in the pub – oh well, the sacrifice was worth it.

During this touristy bit we were surrounded by Tony and Helen – the dark shadows had found us – so the total for a drink now rose to 8.

from left, me, Richard, Sharon, Dot, Helen and Tony (at the back), Gordon and Diane
(at the front)

We knew they would be and it passed to be that they are a lovely couple with a good sense of humour – despite being from Hull, but we won’t hold it against them, just that Hull is in Yorkshire (sorry Jim and Joan!!)

Back to the boats; there was a bit of a gathering on the bank but the lack of any warmth and some tiredness necessitated a retreat back.

Earlyish (well very early - before 6am) next morning we cast off and the two boats headed further on – Ferndale and Ewn Ha Cul – we stopped at Beal Park; D and G carried on further – we had wanted to moor here to have a look at Basildon Park, which according to my lovely (distance-challenged) wife, was just a short walk away.

After jumping fences to avoid the road without a footpath and then hiking half the length of the A329 we found the entrance – it was then just a matter of an uphill climb to challenge the Tour de France climbers – we made it and luckily the air ambulance people were on standby with the oxygen tent already set up.

Despite the trek it was a particularly lovely property to look through – a property that has had a bit of a sad and abused history until a couple bought it back in the early 1950’s and saved it from ruin – restoring it to its appropriate grandeur.

Passed by Seyella in Wallingford - pretty well sure that they would have moved on by now

The entrance - found it after miles of trekking...

...but the house was well worth the effort

This is the Shell Room - just for Elaine

Going down the hill was much easier and the boat was just where we had left – thankfully!

Cruising along the Thames in the early morning is such a delight - just something that needs to be experienced..

We had said to ourselves that we would like to moor in places that we had not stayed previously and until this point we had achieved exactly no new places; now we would have a chance to see something new – and where do you think we picked – lovely Reading – some very lovely moorings well above Caversham bridge where we had stayed last year had become non-mooring sites – due to the lobbying of the well-heeled snobs across the river who had tired of seeing boaters getting to stay for free.

This was the early picture just down from the lock that Diane operated - the gate on
the right is where she would need to come through to get back on the boat.
Unfortunately I didn't get a photo, but moments later these cows all crowded around the gate,
and poor Diane couldn't get through - her "fear" of cows didn't help either.
The faint cries of "help" could be heard and after tying the boat, there was a little bit of
hand-clapping to move them all away.

Anyway we decided that the environs closer to the bridge would be just as nice – and they would have been had it not been few hundred geese and swans that inhabited the area – it was not that they were particularly noisy (only at about 4:30am) but it was the extraordinary amount of shit that they left behind after stuffing themselves all day.

Still we spent a couple of days there (we cleared a path through it all from the boat to the footpath) – we explored Reading a bit; found where D and G moored in the town and had a few drinks with them; of course, we found the Waitrose for the free coffee and as our visit also covered a Monday, Diane was quickly onto having lunch at the Slug and Lettuce.

Overall it was a pleasant experience.

The Kennett - going through Reading...

...and the old castle - now off-limits due to unstable stonework

We met a lovely lady from nb Lunas – Evelyn (cannot remember her husband’s name – sorry about that) – well when I say met, she rapped on the side of the boat and after a brief chat with Diane, very politely said that I needed to get a hurry up and get the blog up to date – how could I refuse? I wasn’t game to argue with her – she was about 2 feet shorter but I am sure she would have pummelled me.

So now I am getting it done.

Managed to spot this fellow at one of the locks...

...before he flew off

...and these guys waiting to be fed breakfast

The moorings were only for 48 hours so we needed to move, this time heading towards Hambledon Lock moorings – downstream from Henley.

Unfortunately Diane was talking to someone at one of the locks who told her that Elton John would be there in concert the following night – that was it, we had to find moorings in Henley and she would find a spot somewhere where she could listen to the concert.

I gently pointed out that Wales were playing that night also – which would she do?

At that point in time, Wales could wait.

Well we found a mooring spot, just up from Ewn Ha Cul, with Festina Lente a few more boats closer to town – yes we were all back together.

A little excitement in Henley, as though regattas were not enough; the Argentinian Steakhouse was obviously doing too many steaks much too well done - a fire broke out in the back area and all patrons were safely evacuated as well as the staff - also every other shop, cafe and restaurant for 50 metres in every direction

We managed to find a heritage trail to find out a bit more about the town; Gordon and Andy decided to do a heritage trail of their own – the history of some of the pubs in the town – so absorbed in the historical facts of these establishments, we found them just in time to direct them back to the boats – not inebriated, but they would have been happy to continue.

The girls at play on their favourite tree...

...and this - if only!

As it turned out the concept of listening to the concert lost it’s appeal and all three boats moved off the following day – Ewn Ha Cul went on and on and on; we opted for the free mooring above the lock at Marlowe and FL were able to drop in just in front of us.

We had definitely not been here before – apparently Steve Redgrave was born here.

Again, another heritage trail to follow here – these are very informative and free of charge – just book with Diane (you also have to moor in the same town as us as well!)

Part of the exclusive heritage trail tour

I understand that he is giant of a man in rowing circles, but
Marlowe favourite son - Steve Redgrave - has a slightly
larger than life statue.

Here we stayed for the night – very quiet and very peaceful – but sadly it was not a hoped-for win to Wales in the semi-final, but they have done very very well indeed!!

Just a photo of what appears to be a pretty normal post box - much the same as
you would see anywhere in the country ...

...not sure that the collections would be likely to be too regular - certainly it
would be difficult to post and collect

61 Miles, 29 Locks, 4 Lift Bridges

YTD:  376 Miles (602 km) , 258 Locks, 4 Tunnels, 14 Lift Bridges, 3 Swing Bridges

Total: 4125 Miles (6600 km), 2957 Locks, 116 Tunnels, 59 Lift Bridges, 170 Swing Bridges