And here was I thinking today would be a dull day. Not weather wise, but uneventful. Let's face it, all we would be doing was back tracking the way we had come. But as it turned out, it was far from it.
The first lock coming off the Thames was Duke's Cut. That long length of boats, well surprise, surprise not one had moved! It was still tight to get past a couple of them, and because we knew the lock landing was unavailable to us (that continuos moorer) I was very pleased to see the lock gate opening and could sail straight in.
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| Someone needs to go to Spec Savers! |
Then it was left at the junction to head back up the South Oxford canal.
A week on a deep river, getting back onto the canals, was a shock to the system. FS definitely wasn't happy! Seemed to take an age to get to Kidlington for a Tesco shop, once there though one very happy lady to find a tackle shop in one of the precincts, oh how wonderful because it meant I could get bait and go fishing again.
Next stop, Thrupp, and who should we find again, but Milly M. The boat was locked so assume that Maffi and Sue were out, such a shame 'cos I was really looking forward to a good old chinwag.
Aubrey's lift bridge could be seen, the facilities were on the other side and I suppose I could have gone through and pulled onto the facility mooring for Ian to do the biz with the cassette, but that sharp left-hand turn after the bridge would not have made life easy. It was easier on me to pull in and for Ian to walk with the cassette to the facilities. The plan was for him to phone when he was done, and I would take FS to the lift bridge. Of course, a boat came past just as Ian phoned to say he had finished. Anyway, ever the gentleman, Ian lifted the bridge for the couple, I followed close behind as several cars were being held up and of course we wouldn't want to get them mad!
We were to see this couple again. It was at lift bridge 219. Quite how the lady had got off with a moored boat on the bridge landing and the bank obscured by foliage, was beyond me. A leap of faith, maybe? Anyway, she managed it and her partner took the boat through. FS followed and instead of waiting for her, he carried on toward Shipton lock. I must have had some sort of sixth sense because looking back, noticed the bridge was still up. Light bulb moment, ah, she couldn't get the bridge closed. Okay, her partner was nowhere to be seen, and we were not prepared to leave her stranded. My reverse to get Ian onto the side nearly got me stuck across the canal. I told him to go, I would sort FS out...somehow!
These photos show how much effort it took for Ian to close that bridge.
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| The lady in red was from that moored boat. |
A conversation followed after the bridge was closed. She had tried lifting the balance beams and even started to climb onto the bridge to see if her weight would get it to move. And what of her partner? A phone call to tell him of her plight, he was on the landing at Shipton Weir lock, and he started to walk back. Another email to CRT I think!.
As a thank you they let us go first into the lock, he had even got it ready for us.
Back on the river, FS was in her element again. All too soon we reached Bakers lock, ah yes, I remember the unusable top ground paddle and bottom gate that wouldn't open properly. Would I get wedged??? A horrible scrapping sound along the rubbing strakes as I entered, but keeping a bit of power on did the trick. It took an age to fill and by the time the top gate was eventually opened, that other boat had caught us up.
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| Cherwell river continues straight under the bridge, not navigable. Right toward the lock |
We found a mooring at Elmslow Wharf, no sooner had the pins been knocked in when out came the rod. Sat for an hour and only caught one fish, this small Skimmer. Did I care? No, it was lovely to dangle a maggot again.
And wildlife today, taken at Bakers lock. The Robin looking for bugs.
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