Windsor or Bust

A walk along the Desborough Cut with Anushka and Lola in the morning sunshine was a nice start to the day. There was constant traffic in the form of other dog walkers, runners and homicidal cyclists, and the river was filled with canoes and rowing crews. Once back at the boat, we set about scraping the grime off the boat and giving her a bit of a polish - we want her to look at her best on the Thames! While we were hard at work, an Environment Agency launch pulled alongside us. We assumed that we had been busted - we didn't have a Thames licence, intending to get one when we pulled into the nearby lock. So, I went up on deck and said I assumed that hey had come to discuss licences. No they said, they just wanted to use us to get ashore because they had come to fix anti seagull/fox/squirell defences to the nearby bins! Me and my big mouth! However, they ignored what I had said and we had a chat about their launch, and their narrowboat - they were a couple - what a nice job, cruising around with your wife/husband on a lovely shiny motor boat. We set off a bit after noon and headed into Shepperton lock where we purchased our Thames licence and took advantage of the provided facilities to empty the loo and dump our rubbish.



A dutch barge follows us into the lock

 

Lola wondering what swan tastes like



Having managed to obtain a propane tank yesterday, we needed a new quest! Today we were searching for a new 10m rope for the back of the boat, to avoid having to change the rope from side to side as we reach each lock. We tried at the chandlery and the boat sales place by Shepperton lock but no joy, but they recommended Penton Hook marina. So, we continued our journey towards Windsor. We had been assured yesterday by someone we met, that the trip from Shepperton to Windsor in a narrowboat would take about 2.5 hours, so we knew we had planty of time to wander along, stop at the marina and still be in good time to secure a mooring in Windsor.

Angela captured this fine shot of a low flying swan

We turned off the Thames just before Staines lock, and followed a backwater round to Penton Hook marina. Before we could get there, we ran aground and realised that the green buoy in the middle of the channel must have been marking the edge of shallow water! Thankfully we managed to scrape our way across the mud and eventually freed ourselves. We moored up at the visitor's pontoon behind a really cute small boat called a 'something' Sundowner - can't remember the first bit of the name! I then went off to the chandlery to get the rope. I returned empty handed. I could have got a suitable rope, but I would have had to pay about £50! So, we decided to re-configure our existing ropes and all is fine - quest over! We filled up with water on the pontoon, using a feeble hose with very little pressure which took ages. While we waited we chatted with a couple who arrived on another boat, and enjoyed the company of lots of wildfowl.

A procession of geese passed by

Parrots everywhere

A cute grebe

We gave up waiting for the tank to fill completely and set off again. It was shortly after this that we decided to check our position and estimate the time remaining to Windsor. Gasp! We had been given a bum steer and after travelling for a couple of hours, we still had about 3 hours to go! We went a bit faster until the engine temperature started to rise and so eased back again. It was a lovely late afternoon and so it wasn't all bad but we did start to wonder whether we would find any moorings left since it would be around 7pm when we reached Windsor.

Extraordinary wildlife on the banks of the Thames

By the time we reached Old Windsor lock, the keeper had gone for tea leaving us to operate the lock ourselves. Angela competently pressed an array of buttons on the two consoles and we were through without any bother.

Old Windsor lock

This lock keeper looks familiar

Eenie meenie miney mo

We did finally make it into Windsor and found a mooring in a backwater we knew of from a previous visit. It is very busy here with what appears to be a boat club gathering on the opposite bank with BBQs and gazebos etc. There is also some kind of asian celebration happening along the bank from us with clapping, chanting and drumming looking set to continue into the night. We didn't get a shot of tonight's mooring, but looking out of the window you can see:-

A hurricane (I think?)

Tomorrow we meet up with Jennie and Colin who are over from Spain, which should be fun.