Many Meetings: 3,000 hours as we pass where MM was launched.

Friday, 4 June 2021

3,000 hours as we pass where MM was launched.

Friday 4th June 2021 at King's Lock on the Thames.

Quite a memorable moment as we approached Enslow, where MM was launched ten years ago, and where today she passed the 3,000 hour mark. 3,000 wonderful hours of cruising, 4,354 miles (and 2,750 locks).

Thank you MM!

As if to celebrate the occasion, we heard two cuckoos calling to each other. It is years since we heard a cuckoo. Magic!

We stopped off at Enslow Wharf, Kingsground's base and boatyard, and walked up to the workshops but no one was around - strange, as we had left a message to say that we would be coming by.

A very sad sight was the old "Rock of Gibraltar" pub opposite, where MM was put into the water on the day she was launched and where we had a wonderful launch party with so many good friends. Sadly neglected now and all boarded up.

Back at Aynho, Peter had ordered a replacement bow thruster battery for "Inkling" from Matt and at Thrupp, there was Matt waiting for us with the battery, which he very quickly fitted. Wonderful service.

Just past Thrupp is the "Jolly Boatman" pub, where we have often met with Richie Needham in the past. Unfortunately, he couldn't join us but we still had a very good lunch. The first time that we have eaten out on this trip.

At Duke's Cut, we turned off the Oxford canal and headed towards the Thames. We very nearly missed the turning on to the Thames as the direction board was almost completely obscured with vegetation and we would have ended up going upstream towards Lechlade! On the way back later in the year, we are thinking of going up to Lechlade, as we have never been up that part of the Thames. Still, we arrived at King's Lock and moored up on the lovely moorings just above it which fortunately Mel had spotted.