Not a well girl again!

Feeling decidedly unwell again today so instead of trying to make Banbury we only made it as far as Cropredy. I think I need more antibiotics so hopefully I can get to see the Doctor tomorrow. I suppose that is the only downside to life afloat. It is so much harder to get to civilisation quickly if a doctor or dentist is needed. We did leave fairly early this morning hoping to cruise with the cooler conditions but we still wasnt the first to get away. We shared our moorings last night with a lone boater and we awoke to his engine starting at 6.15am. We did get away by 7.30am and managed to stay one step ahead of most boats facing in our direction. This part of the Oxford is very rural and picturesque with many twists and turns to catch out the unwary. One long straight though, just past the turnover bridge 137, used to be Fenny Compton Tunnel but in days gone by the roof was removed after a collapse and never put back.

This was Fenny Compton tunnel

 After the long straight we came to the first of many lift bridges along the Oxford and, as it was just an accommodation bridge, was already in the open position. One less for us to do!

 While waiting to descend at Clayton Top lock I took the opportunity to photograph some Swallows that had made the cottage chimney a resting place.

Claydon top lock

And in one of the locks on the way down spied this Crayfish. I beleive it is one of those Signel Grayfish which has all but wiped out our native species.

By the time we reached Claydon Bottom lock I really had had enough but with another three locks to do before we reached Cropredy we just had to keep going. Ian not only worked all the locks but took over the steering inbetween. I kept dosing up with pain killers and hoped and preyed a space would be available before Cropredy lock. Thankfully there was a gap long enough for us to fit in and first thing tomorrow morning will be trying to make an appointment with the local Doctors.

This is a sunken working boat at Elkington Lock

The new Cropredy Marina due to be filled next week.