Saturday 9 April 2016

We woke up to a beautiful morning here on the Thames but it was due to rain this afternoon so we decided to go for a short cruise to Boverney Lock where we can do the obligatory emptying, filling and dispose of the rubbish!

It's lovely here and there is plenty of mooring (at this time of year anyway) at a charge of £8 per night but we were lucky getting on the one EA mooring which is free to licence holders.  When we got back there was another boat on the mooring so we went alongside.  As it was a hire boat we thought that they would only be stopping for lunch, which they were, so we are going to stay here Sunday and Monday nights as it is easy to get a train to Cambridge on Monday.

Watch out low flying Spitfire.

Windsor Racecourse.

The water point is on one side of the river and the Elsan and rubbish on the other so we will have to moor twice - but that's no problem when you have all the time in the world!

Looks like something is going on at the racecourse too.

The bus duck - didn't one of these sink a couple of years ago?

And back to the castle!

Alongside the hire boat.

Going for a walk through Eton.

Mum's maiden name!

I thought this street looked lovely and as I took the photo along came an old moggie minor!

There we are moored in front of the apartments (that will only set you back £1.6 million if you want to own one) overlooking the Castle!

A nice way to see Windsor.

I just liked this postbox in Eton.

Friday 8 April 2016

We left Staines at 10ish as we were not in a hurry.  We were hoping to stop at Datchet as Lou is coming to stay for the weekend and thought we could chug up to Windsor and Eton for Saturday night but when we got to Datchet they were working on the town mooring so we were unable to stop!

We had a bit of a moment at Bell Weir Lock - we couldn't moor on the left as there was a boat on the mooring so we stopped at the mooring on the right, I jumped off and tried to pull the boat in but the weir behind was so strong that it was pushing the boat away - Steve had to get off and help and he couldn't beat the force of the water either...I jumped back on and reversed a bit then Steve quickly let the rope go and jumped on and we had to go full steam ahead to get into the lock before the weir pushed us in to the moored boat!  it wasn't plain sailing once inside the lock either as when the lock keeper opened the sluices it took both of us to hold the boat front and back!

Not being able to stop at Datchet meant that we had to go on to Windsor and we found a very lucky EA mooring right opposite Windsor Castle! The flag was down but by the time Lou arrived the flag was flying so the Queen has joined us for the weekend!  After dinner we went for a walk and had a drink in town.  It's very nice here.  If it's good enough for the Queen it's good enough for me!

Leaving Staines.

Under Staines Bridge.

Unusual House!

Struggling with the force of the water from the weir and it looks so calm!

Fly-by!

The mistletoe is taking over. 

The Queen at Runny Mead opposite Magna Carta Island.

Not very busy on the paddle steamer.

Under Albert Bridge.

Looks like they are getting ready for a party at the Castle.

How lucky are we - moored right opposite the Castle - shame about the demolition works going on infront.

Windsor Bridge in front of us.

Goodnight Lizzy!

Thursday 7 April 2016

Lovely fresh morning and we have to get going so as not to upset anyone by staying on the lock mooring.  Slipped lines at 7.45am and oh boy had we forgotten just how cold it is standing on the back of a narrowboat when it is only 7 degrees with the wind blowing!

We had about an hour and a half then the rain came but we were ready for it with the waterproofs. We were heading for Windsor but decided that as we couldn't feel our fingers or toes we would stop at Staines - I've never been to Staines....I have now and I'm quite impressed with the town.  We found a mooring just on the edge of town.  Although a short cruising day with the cold and rain we called it a day after 4 hours and had a warm up in front of the fire then had a walk into town.

Such a great time of year watching the wild life courting.

These grebes were lovely to watch mimicking each other's moves.

Leaving the naughty spot!

We're 57' but look tiny in the locks on the Thames!

Mandarin Duck.

Now I know how frustrating it was for my dad every time he tried to take a photo of me when I was young - the family album is full of pictures of the back of my head!  I still don't like having my picture taken!

That's the entrance to the River Wey - we will go back and finish it one day.

A choice of chairs and you have to sit on the table!

Chertsey Bridge.

Through the gate and onto the path of the next chapter.

All in a day's work - up a tree in front of the M3 on a rainy day with his chainsaw swinging from his belt and he still found the time to give me a wave!

What makes you come home from work one day and say I think we need a polar bear on the veranda darling!

Moored up in Staines and the rain has stopped for a while. 

Wednesday 6 April 2016

Well the good weather had to break at some point!  We woke up to rain, oh and the planes!  I suppose you get used to it if you live on the flight path to Heathrow.

We couldn’t get through Brentford Lock on the tide until 1pm so off to Morrisons for some supplies.  As we left our mooring it wasn’t raining but in the time it took (15 minutes) to get to Brentford Tidal Lock it started to rain!  Through the lock bang on time and out onto the Thames in the wind and the rain. 

Thankfully the sun did put in an appearance once or twice but the wind was very chilly – it is still only April after all.

Five hours battling the wind and we had had enough so started to look for a mooring.  We had hoped being so early in the year that we would find somewhere – we have been told that several of the companies that hire boats in the London area have stopped due to the clients complaining about the lack of moorings – it seems that living on a boat in the London area is the in thing to do – all the visitor moorings are taken up by live-aboards who stay for 14 days then move to the next spot leaving no room for those of us that just want to stop for the night...so we had to break the rules and stop on a lock mooring.  The lock keeper had gone home for the night and we’ll get up and get moving so hopefully won’t cause a problem for anybody else!  

Early morning wake up call!

There we are in the new development at Brentford.

A duck that wants to be a daffodil!

and out onto the Thames

It's raining again!

I don't know why but I was surprised to see Herons nesting in the trees - I thought they would nest on the ground - there is a baby in there looking like it was getting ready for it's first flight!

A Parakeet tree!

Choppy waters!

Thames River Rat!

Nice day for a ferry ride!

and some people keep their cars in their garden!

Battling the elements... 

Just like the country lanes with horses and cyclists - rowers and sailing boats!

Kingston Bridge.

Hello Gordon and Sue.

Being overtaken by the Southern Belle.

Hampton Court.

I wonder if they were in the pub when they came up with this name!

I bet he didn't tell the Mrs the truth!

Looks like he has been hanging around a while!

Naughty stopping on the lock mooring but hopefully we will get away with it!