I spent the day nursing my poorly eye. after yesterdays problem with a contact lens I tried putting them in today but my right eye was still sore, so I gave it a days rest. I went out and bought an eye patch so that I could still wear my other one without getting a headache, but it wasn't a great success.
All of this after getting up at 7.30am.... early starts are obviously not good for us!
This morning the sun was shining, we all felt better and so we were off at 9!
Goodbye to Newbury! leaving our mooring.
We had a brilliant day, 6 miles, 8 locks and 4 swing bridges in just over 4 hours! We had all but one lock in our favour and of course we are now going with the current. There was also quite a stiff breeze that was behind us most of the time so all in all a good time.
This is Tesco's from the canal...don't you think that they could do something with CRT and make a few moorings for shoppers? We'd have bought a lot more in there if we hadn't had to lug it so far back to the mooring.
Not altogether sure why I took this one, probably because there were two boats coming up and so I was able to go straight in.
Monkey Marsh lock - one of the turf locks. I know I've put pictures of this up before but I am half fascinated and half appalled by them and since this is the second to last one I'll ever be in I've added it!
As we came out of the lock I saw this little sign, that I'd never noticed before. Thought it was rather nice and very overlooked.
We are moored at the top of Woolhampton Lock, all ready for the worst bit on the canal tomorrow. Its such a nice day that it's a shame not to cruise for longer, but the next mooring is at Sheffield lock and getting there as late in the day as we would, we wouldn't get a spot. Here we're not actually on the moorings but at least we can get off the front easily.
John won't be amused that I'm sharing this but for 2 of the locks there was a gate open and so he took us in. This is normally my job but if he's on the boat he does it. Both times he made a right pigs ear of it. I felt so smug. When I make an error he stands there with a pained expression making me feel 10 times worse, so I quite enjoyed my brief moment of superiority!! especially since at the second lock it happened, there were crowds of volunteers painting it all.
I've just taken Paddy out for a walk past the lock and bridge and spotted a boat coming this way through the bridge. This confused me because there was a boat in the lock going down and instructions are very specific to work the two together. I called out to the lady steering the boat that she'd have to stop there as there was a boat in the lock. She looked bemused but I carried on. Coming back a few minutes later (Paddy doesn't hang about on walks, he does what's necessary then turns for home) the chap was pulling her in against the current. I said that it was best to get the lock ready before the bridge and her comment was "Yes that's what it said in the book" NO hope for some is there? They survived as we saw them come past a bit later.
I also spotted the Mikron boat outside the pub but strangely they aren't performing here, they were a week ago but are in Oxford tonight? Very confused.
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