The final few days.
Saturday 6th
October
As forecast, it was a wet day and
so I was going to stay put until Sunday.
This was one of the Thames Visitor Moorings, so I duly registered my
mooring, which is free for the first day. I was on the end of the moorings, so
decided to move further along where the bank was somewhat lower and easier to
disembark. I had decided to do this whist the further mooring was still free at
11am in the pouring rain and harsh wind that was blowing – not a day for
boating, although there were many others on the move. I have no problem staying
in one place for a day, as there is always something to do on board, but after
that the wanderlust sets in.
Mid afternoon I walked to The
Catherine Wheel and what a surprise it was after the last time I visited some
five or more years ago. Then it was an uninspiring place to go and I think it
had just been taken over by a young couple. Now it was a busy community pub,
with an excellent selection of ales and good food to be had. Certainly a pub
worth visiting.
http://www.tcwgoring.co.uk/index
I had a walk around the few shops
that were in Goring and surprisingly there is quite a selection. Back on board I planned the
next day’s boating, intending to stop above Sonning Lock on EA moorings,
however things changed on Sunday.
Sunday 7th October
After all the rain yesterday, it
was a total change to sunshine all day, albeit through a thin veil of cloud. I
was hoping to get through the locks with the same boat as yesterday, but a
phone call from my mate Barry put the brakes on that as I had not left the
mooring by then.
When I reached Caversham, I
spotted nb Merchant coming towards me (Chris Iddon’s fuel boat), but he went to
the right of Fry’s Island and was travelling at a fast pace. Needing some
diesel, I turned and gave chase, but could not catch up¸ so eventually had to
slow down and retrace my steps. I was pitting a 32 HP engine against a 72HP
Gardner, so there was no competition. I
still had half a tank full and 40 litres in reserve, so enough to get home.
On the approach to Caversham
Lock, which already had one boat in it, the lockie opened the gate to let me
and another boat in. After closing the gates again, he then opened the sluices
on the bottom gates; it was only then that we realised he had not closed the
top sluices, which resulted in him running the length of the lock to do just
that. This was a first in my experience and could never be done by a boater,
because of all the interlocks in place.
Another thing that came to my attention
was the existence of a Steamer Switch in a small locked box on the outside of
the lock keeper’s cabin. This is to enable any of the trip boat crews to
operate the lock just as the lock keeper would without the interlocks, but only
they have a key.
I pulled in for water above
Shiplake, where there was another boat already at the water point. I waited
some 15 mins for him to fill and remove the hose and it was then that I became
suspicious that he was using that as an excuse for a long mooring time and I
was right when I looked to see that the tap was turned off. It was quickly
removed on request, but no apology or excuse was given.
I had read on Canal World
Discussion Forum about the restriction placed on mooring outside Tesco at
Reading by Reading Council and some London parking firm, where they wanted
£9.95 for mooring despite the length of stay and there were notices to that
effect placed along the moorings. When I got there, there were no notices to be
seen and I walked the length as far as Kennet Mouth. I then asked some
continuous moorers what the situation was and discovered that one had actually
paid the penalty fee amounting to £60, whereas another who refused to pay was
eventually charged £360, but still refused to pay and was taken to court, where
the case was dismissed. The interesting thing is that the some of the signs
have been papered over with local community events and others have been
removed. I wonder who did that? The news was that the mooring checker was not
due for another week, having told the continuous moorers that. Now that the
signs are no longer visible, I wonder what will happen next? Needless to say, I did not pay for the night I was there.
Plenty of boats moored at the Tesco site.
I had a walk to The Jolly Anglers
on the K & A to include it in the database. Not a very inspiring pub, although the beer was good.
Monday 8th October
I left Tesco at 10am after doing
some essential shopping and it was a glorious day to be boating. All was
incident free and I wanted to get to Boulters Lock by the end of the day. It
took until 5pm and by that time was starting to get chilly. I moored where I
had done in the past, in the lock cut, close to the road, so it was rather a
noisy mooring.
Tuesday 9th October
I was hoping to meet up with
Barry and crew on the NBT pair at the mouth of the Wey, so really I had to get
a move on if I was to get there before nightfall.
Passing through Windsor at midday
was just the wrong time to meet up with my youngest daughter, so I pressed on.
The weather was even better than yesterday, which is quite amazing for the time
of year.
Lunch was eaten on the move and I
was making good progress. The engine was continuously at 1500rpm and did not
complain, for which I was grateful. Eventually I arrived at the Weybridge
moorings about 6pm and once securely moored up, the breasted NBT pair could be
seen emerging from the Wey and berthed in front of Stronghold. I was invited on
board for a hearty meal, after which we repaired to The Old Crown to swap
stories and relax over a beer or two. After two long days of cruising, it was
well deserved.
Wednesday 10th
October.
A beautiful day was forecast and
it turned out to be really warm and sunny. My winter fuel supplies were loaded
on the fore deck, but had yet to be split up into half bags, so that I could
lift them. Diesel still had to be pumped into the tank, so that the containers
could be refilled and there was quite a bit of work to be completed before I
went home. I decided that would be on Friday, which gave me a day of grace.
I was in the process of tying up,
when there was a horn blast and there was my mate Dave – well what a
coincidence that he should arrive on the same day as me! Many tales to be
recited between us, so we repaired to The Pelly and sat outside in tee shirts,
it was that warm. Almost a perfect end to a Summer Jaunt, which didn’t take me very
far this year.
Despite sadness at going home and the end of summer, I really cannot complain about my daily walk to the pub and back:-
Typical October sunset.
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