Thursday 9th August 2018 at Seend Cleeve
A bright morning. Over the last couple of days, we've been chatting to Tony who lives in the Middle East, but during the summer months, he and his lady live on a huge Aqualine widebeam called "Marimba". At 70ft by 12ft, it is one of the largest boats on the canals and is beautifully looked after and in immaculate condition. They were heading slowly towards Bristol. Tony was a delightful character and was intrigued by the Karcher that R was using to clean MM's windows - so R ended up cleaning their windows with it, much to their amusement! They were impressed and Tony vowed to acquire one! We were sorry to see them go but hope that they might catch us up again on their way back from Bristol.
Notice that R is wearing a jumper! Much cooler this morning. M walked ahead to Sainsbury's a little way up the canal for a "few bits" while R washed down the other side of MM and filled with water. When M rang to say that she was ready, R let go and sailed up the canal to pick her up along with the "few bits".
At Hilperton Marina, we stopped to fill up with diesel. Happiness is full diesel and water tanks, and an empty poo tank!
Overhead a series of gliders were being launched by being towed up behind light aircraft. What a lovely day for it and there were clearly lots of good thermals as the gliders were climbing higher and higher.
M did three swing bridges today (not her favourite pastime). They are manually operated just to take footpaths from one side to the other but can still be quite heavy and stiff (only three tons!).
This is a very significant spot on the waterways where the Wilts & Berks canal used to connect the K&A from here to Abingdon via 42 locks over 52 miles. There is a very active restoration group but it will be many years before it could be reopened. Not only will it one day be very attractive cruising but it would also make a brilliant "ring" with the River Thames and the K&A canal.
The information board gives a better picture of the route.
The canal originally passed to the right of this house but, due to building work, a new site will have to be found for the junction. At the other end, in Abingdon, a new junction has already been created to circumvent a housing development but, at that end, the canal is only 150 yards long - so a long way to go yet!
The recent lack of rain has caused us some anxiety for the level of yield of this season's crops but this maize has reached a good height, which is reassuring. We love fresh corn on the cob!
Pretty Purple Loosestrife - it grows in abundance along the canal banks.
These are double locks and we shared them with a American family from Chicago, out on a hire boat for the first time.
We travelled alongside a volunteer "Rubbish Cyclist". It is operated by the
"Waterbike Collective" and a different person volunteers for each day, collecting rubbish as they go. The "Cycle" is scheduled to travel all round the canal and river network over the summer. What a brilliant idea and very public spirited!
The aim is to cover 1,000 miles and pick up a million bits of rubbish, so far they have picked up over 70,000 items! This is their route.
Mooring places are at a premium on this canal, so we moored up on pins about three feet from the bank and with the stern firmly aground.
On the positive side, it was a lovely peaceful rural location with only the cows in the next door field for company.
A dramatic evening sky and rain is forecast for tomorrow.
Today: 7 miles, 2 locks and 4.3 hours.
Trip: 196 miles, 83 locks and 122.2 hours.
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