Reading Survived!!

Thursday 31st May, 2012
Is it really the end of May already?
We woke at 7:00am to find that it was raining, only a shower but nice to see after six days of continuous sun and heat. Hope it's raining on our newly seeded grass back in Reigate!
This has been a lovely, quiet rural mooring after six nights in towns.
We were late setting off, as R had a Capture call and it was midday by the time we moored up in Reading. There is a huge Tesco with moorings right outside - very convenient. We gathered up our large collection of recyclables, hoping to find bins at Tesco. Unfortunately the waterways are very poorly equipped with recycling facilities. Even at this large Tesco they only took bottles and magazines, sadly we had to throw all the plastics in the bin. We bought yet more "Brasso" at Tesco, M is complaining of "Brasso Hands" as opposed to dishpan hands!

M's diet seems to have gone a bit far!

On the mooring next to us was a nice chap on nb "Thumper", who recognised us from Pyrford and, as we left together, we shared the next lock at Caversham. The lock keeper saw that M was preparing lunch and when M offered to do him a bacon sandwich he politely declined, "I'm a vegetarian" he said wistfully.
We stopped just upstream of Reading Bridge for lunch and another Capture call for R before going on upstream. We eventually moored up at Pangbourne and for the first time had problems finding a mooring, which delayed the third Capture call for R today. The fact that the wind had got up and it was raining didn't help.
Now M is finishing off her choir AGM minutes and we are getting ready for supper.
Today: 9 miles, 2 locks and 3.6 hours
Trip:  53 miles, 23 locks and 24.3 hours (167.6 total).

Ma'amite from Henley!

Wednesday 30th May, 2012
There was no overnight noise from "Trains, Planes or Automobiles" in Henley - bliss!! What we did hear was the cry of urban owls out hunting. A mist still lingered at 7:00am, but this was quickly dispersed by the sun. The red petals from a nearby sweet chestnut tree floated downstream like pretty confetti.

We had a lovely walk into Henley; we were on a mission to find the special Jubilee edition of Ma'amite! We found it in Waitrose, as we knew we would, and proudly brought home half a dozen jars!

We also acquired some bunting in W.H.Smiths since we thought that MM should be dressed for the occasion. MM is now very jolly, with the bunting streaming from her roof. One of the lock keepers smiled and said, "best boat of the day!"

At Marsh Lock, we admired a Red Kite circling lazily, he had a plaintive cry much like a buzzard. It is so nice to see more of them in the skies and over a much wider area. We've also been watching the wonderful aerobatic displays of the swallows, particularly in the evening as they swoop above the water feeding on insects.
It's very hot again today. The Barometer reads "Change" but the only change we've seen so far is that the clouds look a bit stormy. We've been cruising into the sun all the way on the Thames and although it's lovely to have the sunlight, we do get awfully hot!
Moored for the night just upstream of Sonning Lock; a very pretty mooring with tall branches of cow parsley brushing our windows.
Today: 5 miles, 3 locks and 2.4 hours.
Trip:  44 miles, 21 locks and 20.7 hours (164.0 total).

On to Henley

Tuesday 29th May, 2012
M woke early again, grumbled about the noise from the nearby road and then went to sleep again. Truth was, there was so much early morning traffic that it was almost at a standstill!
M has been polishing brass when we have been moored up, she says that it's her penance for neglecting it all winter - a lot of elbow grease needed now but the shine is finally coming back. We think that we might buy shares in Brasso! When we have been moving M has been steering a lot too.
Saw half a dozen Canada Geese with about 30 goslings all together. Nursery school? They were certainly better behaved than small children!

Stopped for lunch close to Temple Island at the top of the Henley Regatta course. There is a very grand building on the opposite bank called Greenlands that looks a bit like the White House and used to be the residence of William Henry Smith, otherwise known as the owner of your local newsagent's - he was The WH Smith!
Shortly after, we saw something much more modest, but it was our dream house on the banks of the river - a cottage for two with a mooring! Perfect!

We moored up for the night next to Rod Eyot just south of Henley and had a G&T on the stern. M wore her hat - "Well, this is Henley after all, darling!"
Our computer has a touch-screen and R had to find a way to switch the "touch" off as, in the evening, the occasional insect would fly onto the screen and make it do things - like erasing everything he'd written!!
We had moored up next to nb "Ruffian" and M remarked that we had seen her before but couldn't remember where. It turned out that our two boats had done the tidal Thames from Teddington to Brentford together at the end of October last year. Jim and Karen live aboard and have been continuously cruising the Thames as they work part-time in London. Two weeks ago, they spent four days tied to a tree in Cliveden Reach while the Thames was in flood and then managed to struggle upstream to Cookham Lock where they sheltered in the lock cut for a few days (which is why we delayed our departure to avoid the Thames in flood - a good decision because they said the river in flood was scary).
They joined us later in the evening and we swapped stories over another bottle of rosé. They are a delightful couple, both Canadians but love England and have made it their home for the past 30 years. In fact they know London so well that Karen is a "Blue Badge" tour guide in the City. We were very envious that they have a 14 year old ship's cat called Hobbs (who has fallen in twice but is generally very well behaved).  They wrote a "Me and my Boat" article for Canal Boat Magazine in Spring 2011 - so we will have to look that up when we are back home.
Today:  9 miles, 4 locks and 3.2 hours
Trip:   39 miles, 18 locks and 18.3 hours (161.6 total)

On to Marlow with Simon

Monday 28th May, 2012
Again M woke at 5:00am thinking "what a tranquil spot", then the first of the commuter trains roared over the nearby railway bridge! Traffic on the river is very quiet today - and actually so was the mooring, the trains were merely a slight distraction.
We were expecting our friend Simon to come up and join us for the day, but we were not expecting him at 7:30am! M was still in her underwear and R was still in the shower! Simon lives in Fareham, had decided to come on his motorbike and had a very clear run. It was lovely to see him and we had a coffee and breakfast together before setting off about 11:00am.
Richard and Lizzie on "Dragonfly" left at about 9:00am but we caught up with them at Cookham, where they had moored for lunch and to meet up with friends. We couldn't just pass them, so we moored up too and had our lunch.

We set off again with Simon taking the tiller all the way up to Marlow, even negotiating the locks very well. On the way it seemed that someone had confused forward and reverse on a golf-buggy, still it didn't seem to bother the swan with her cygnets.

We moored up just short of Marlow lock and had strawberries and cream for tea - the first of the season!
Beside us was moored a very smart Piper Dutch Barge, even newer than MM judging by the registration. This is another good mooring although the Marlow bypass crosses the river a couple of hundred yards downstream - so no doubt M will be woken up by that at 5:00am tomorrow (the road bridge is on the left below).

We walked into Marlow with Simon so that he could catch the train back to Maidenhead to pick up his motorbike and so back to Havant, where he has a rehearsal for the "Pirates of Penzance" this evening. The station is a small branch line that just goes back and forth between Marlow and Maidenhead, very quaint!

Marlow's Railway Terminus

We walked around Marlow town centre a bit after seeing Simon off. Very picture postcard! So now we have a nice quiet evening - MM is now in the shade, so it is much cooler. Very welcome!
Today: 7 miles, 2 locks and 2.3 hours
Trip:   30 miles, 14 locks and 15.1 hours (158.4 total).

Through Windsor to Maidenhead

Sunday 27th May, 2012
M. woke at 5:00am and lay thinking what a wonderful paeaceful spot this is with just the birds singing merrily. Then the first of a procession of 747s roared into Heathrow above us!
The Thames is beautiful, but how very different it is from the gentle rural waterways. A combination of the glorious weather and the fact that it is a Sunday brought the "gin palaces" out in droves today. The cabin cruiser folk dress and act so differently from narrowboaters - they all look like "cool dudes" in their sunhats and shades; the chaps in shorts and short-sleeved shirts, their ladies in smart dresses and sometimes just bikinis. Narrowboaters don't dress like that! Scruffy clothes are the norm and poor M hates looking less than elegant!!

Windsor Castle was an impressive companion on our left as we looped around the Royal Park.
We moored up in Windsor on the island park next to Brunel's famous "Bowstring" bridge and walked into town to do some shopping in Waitrose. On the way back, laden with groceries, we stopped off for a welcome ice-cream at a spot where, ironically, we had stood three years ago on a one-day trip to Windsor wistfully watching the narrowboats moored there and dreaming of having our own one day. Now we have our own beautiful "dream come true"; we love her dearly and every minute we spend with her.
The park was packed with folk having picnics and generally enjoying the sunshine. The river was a marine version of the M25; as we had anticipated, it was very busy today with cruisers, motorboats, rowboats, dingies, canoes and a very grand paddle steamer - even the occasional swimmer! Many of the day hirers didn't appear to have any idea what they were doing but against the odds, no one capsized, and they were all having a great time.  You never saw so many happy people!

When we left Windsor behind, we had to go through Boveney Lock, which is much smaller than the huge locks downstream and can only take about four boats at a time. As there were at least 15 boats queuing, it took us the best part of an hour and a half to get through. Still, it was a lovely evening just to sit in the middle of the river quietly waiting and enjoying a G&T.
Between Windsor and Maidenhead most of the riverbank is privately owned, so there are very few places to moor. As a result we went all the way into Maidenhead where there are some nice municipal moorings just before another of Brunel's railway bridges, this time the wide arched bridge was built for the Great Western Railway.
We spotted an empty space beside a moored narrowboat "Dragonfly" and gently made our way in.  Then we saw to our great surprise that she was a "twin" - a Kingsground fit-out on an Alexander shell!   We introduced ourselves to her owners, Richard and Lizzie, and spent a happy evening swapping stories and comparing experiences over a bottle of rosé on their boat.  Four years after their build, they are still delighted with their boat.
Today: 4 locks, 9 miles and 4.8 hours
Trip:  12 locks, 23 miles and 12.8 hours (156.1 total)

To Runnymede

Saturday 26th May, 2012
A surprisingly quiet overnight mooring given that there is a small road running right alongside. A pretty spot, but then where isn't pretty on the Thames?
M got up at 7:00am and opened the curtains to find a family of swans looking at her; the mother had one of her four cygnets nestling on her back. Were they hoping for toast and marmalade perhaps?

A lovely morning with a clear blue sky and less of yesterday's breeze.
Q. Where to today?
A. To Runnymede and overhanging trees! A momentary lapse of concentration on both our parts (R was handing M the tiller so he could consult the guide book) caused us to veer right into some overhanging trees; it was quite alarming as the dense drooping branches tried to sweep everything off the roof towards us including both long poles. A moment of panic - would the "Jubilee" pot of geraniums survive? Fortunately no real harm done, but a dreadful mess of branches, twigs, leaves and general detritus all over the boat. We had to moor up to clean her off.
As it turned out, our mooring was one of our best ever. In the shade of weeping willows and horse chestnut trees (in bloom) and beside a luxuriant high bank of honeysuckle, sadly not quite yet in flower. The fragrance will be lovely when it blooms.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening here. M polished the brass-work , R tinkered, read a book and had a doze.
We watched the endless procession of cabin cruisers ("gin palaces") passing by, so fast compared with the gentle pace of narrowboats, but as is the norm on the waterways, whatever one's craft, everyone waves cheerily to each other.
What a lovely spot to spend the night!
Today: 3 locks, 8 miles, 3.7 Hours (151.3 Total)
Trip:    8 locks, 14 miles. 8.0 hours

Off At Last!! Yes, we really mean it this time!

Friday 25th May, 2012
We both slept well, although R grizzled that he was cold in the early morning with only a sheet over him! Listening to the bird song at 4am was a joy, and M wondered why birds don't get sore throats this time of year given that they are singing for 18 hours a day!
At 8:00am, we were sitting on the stern deck with our coffee. How peaceful it was, we thought, listening to the roar of the rush-hour traffic on the M25 only half a mile distant and the drone of 747s stacking overhead for Heathrow. Actually it was indeed peaceful, and a beautiful morning with a gentle breeze that will be most welcome as the day warms up.

Morning Coffee

 We watched a pair of buzzards circling high up above us, almost as if they were dancing round each other in the clear blue sky. Then R saw a Greater Spotted woodpecker alight in the trees next to the boat. We already have a wager that whoever spots the first kingfisher doesn't buy the beers (wine).
This weather is forecast to last for several days. We bought all our clothes on board last week when the weather was cold; consequently M says she has all the wrong clothes - again! ARGH!!
At midday, R went to settle up at the Marina and then we moved across to the water point to fill up in a shady spot. M walked down to the bow and was horrified to see all the brass that needs attention; but she has decided that its a good place for a little herb garden/pot.

Leaving Pyrford Marina

At 1:23pm, (good numbers) we finally set off and left Pyrford behind us. There was very little traffic on the canal, the lady lock keeper on the Thames lock (leaving the Wey and Arun) said we were only the fourth boat through today. So goodbye Wey and Arun and hello again Old Father Thames! We moored up for tea and biscuits just before Shepperton Lock.

Shepperton Lock

We are now moored for the night just after Shepperton next to nb Hawthorn crewed by four happy boaters. There's a group of teenagers having great fun next to us, jumping into the river with whoops of glee!! Bet it's ...... cold!
It's a beautiful evening. We sat and planned the next week to maximise the cost of a 15 day licence on the Thames. We decided we would do everything on the spur of the moment but it takes a lot of planning to be able to be spontaneous!
Trip - 5 locks, 6 miles 4.3 Hours (147.6 total hours).

Nearly Started!

Thursday 24th May, 2012
The Big Summer Cruise starts here! Well, it ought to have done and we should have been on the Thames tonight, but we only got as far as the Anchor Pub and MM is still in the Marina!
We were a bit later leaving home than planned; we were both tired this morning. R had been up at Goring on Wednesday night to help Abbie host a business dinner and M had the choir AGM, so a late night for both of us.
We left the car at home and took the bus into Redhill and then the (slow) trains to Byfleet and New Haw station. R managed to find an unmarked path through to the canal and we walked the two miles down the towpath towards Pyrford. It was a lovely walk, apart from the unrelenting noise from the M25 close by. It was VERY hot and the lure of a cold drink at the Anchor pub was irresistable. Shades of "Ice Cold in Alex" as we savoured our lime and lemonades in frosted glasses with the ice cubes tinkling merrily. Bliss!

No boats passed us either on the towpath or sitting in the pub, although two have been seen on the canal this evening.
How lovely it was finally to board MM! Her interior was, however, even hotter than outside, at 31deg. M was cross to see that the boat had a thin film of sooty dust all over her - again! And we only washed her last week! Damn that infernal M25!

It was so hot inside that we opened the stable door at the front for the first time ever. We'll have to sleep under just a sheet tonight; its far too hot for even a lightweight duvet.
Another first - we had a G&T sitting on the "Barry Seats" at the stern. There were many times before that we would have loved a G&T but this was difficult as we had repeatedly forgotten to bring any gin on board!
Guy sat up on the "Barry Seats" for a while overseeing activities in the marina; there were quite a few folk working on their boats. The "coal scuttle" (a gift from Carol and Philip in the choir) has now been re-planted in red, white and blue (geraniums, alyssum and lobelia) in honour of the forthcoming Jubilee celebrations, and looks splendid.
The sun has just set as a huge vermillion ball over the golf course next door. The birdies are still singing merrily, the Mozart Requiem is playing on Classic FM and we have decided to have an evening off choir stuff and Capture work.
We called Simon to see if he would like to join us one day over the coming week and sent some emails out to friends.
We've just been admiring the moon (a slender crescent, just a few days old) so its now time for bed.
We looked at the possibility of going up the Basingstoke Canal tomorrow but sadly it is currently closed beyond the first six locks, so it is probably not worth it. Looks like we are going to head out on to the Thames and up to Reading, then go down to Aldermaston by the end of next week. We are planning on the basis of only three hours cruising per day on average, so we can take it very easy. There is a marina with a railway station next door where we can leave MM while we go up to London for the Jubilee party in Battersea Park.

Spring Cleaning

Saturday, 12th May, 2012.
We went down to Many Meetings and gave her a spring clean. It was amazing that the outside was as dirty after five weeks as she had been at Harefield after five months.  We think this must be due to the proximity of the M25, which can always be heard as a dull rumble in the background.
Robin cleaned the outside and touched up the paint where we had a few scrapes while Marion cleaned the interior and lined all the drawers. She used wallpaper for the bedroom drawers as we couldn't find any proper lining paper - it looks great but it kept on rolling up as she was doing it -infuriating! MM looks all shipshape now and ready for our first summer cruise. Most of our cruising-type clothes are on board too now.
We spoke to our next-door neighbours on n.b. "Tree Sparrow", a pleasant couple called Hilary and Bruce; they were about to set off for Godalming.
The spring-cleaning took much longer than we anticipated and it was late when we set off back to Reigate, so we decided to go to Pizza Express despite feeling very scruffy in our working clothes.  What a nice surprise it was to bump into Mick and Jo Bridges (formerly of the choir), who had been for a pizza too!

Postponed!

Thursday, 10th May, 2012
Today, we were supposed to leave on our summer cruise.
But we haven't. We're still at Pyrford!
In the middle of a drought, the rain has been continuous (great for the canals but not great for standing on the back of a narrowboat for hours on end). The Thames and the Kennet are in flood and the Avon is closed in a westerly direction.
So we have postponed our departure for two weeks in the hopes that the weather will improve.  This should also give us time for other matters which need our attention, such as jobs at home - a shed to be built, a lawn to be reseeded etc etc!

Jenni and Glenda

Saturday 5th May, 2012
The "Huddies" choir was in Reigate for a twinning concert of the Brahms Requiem and we had Jenni and Glenda staying with us.  In the afternoon, there was a "window" between the rehearsal and the concert, so R brought Jenni and Glenda down to MM for a few hours.  Glenda lives on the canal in Yorkshire but had never been on a narrowboat - she has now!  There wasn't time for a trip out, but R drove MM across the marina to the refuelling point to fill up with diesel and then they had a cup of tea on board before returning in time for the concert.

Jane and Dave

Thursday 3rd May, 2012.
 We went up to 'Many Meetings' early to await the arrival of Robin's cousin Jane and her husband Dave. They have a working farm in Devon but were in this area for a short break.  It turned out that their B&B was owned by Edes of Capel! (Edes of Capel is a well-known removal company; M thinks they are related but no one has yet done the research to prove it).
Jane and Dave arrived at about 11:00am and after tea and cakes we set off south. Progress was slow, as last month was the wettest April on record and the first week of May was no different.  Consequently, the River Wey was running very high and fast, and we were travelling upstream against it.
At the turning point just south of the New Inn, we turned. However, at the first attempt with R trying to turn the traditional way with the bow into the turning hole, the strong current just pushed MM downstream against the bank. After backing out with the help of the long pole, we tried again with the stern into the turning hole, and this time the current carried the bow round for the easiest turn ever. Lesson learned! The journey back to Pyrford, with the current behind us, was very fast!
We've now done 32 hours since Robin fitted the stern gland pipe below the waterline and there is no squeaking or leaking of the stern gland. When 'Many Meetings' was new the leaking started at the end of Day Two after just 6.5 hours cruising.
Hours 143.3 - Miles 8 - Locks - 6.