Friday 16th July 2021 in Cartbridge Marina
Our last morning here on the Guildford water meadows. It's been a wonderful few weeks.
Moored nearby is a narrowboat named "Gabriel". It didn't take long to work out that it was a waterways chaplaincy boat, so M walked up to say hallo.
It turns out that James and Hazel are friends with Bob and Jan (also waterways chaplains), whose boat "Barocha" was being built next to MM in the Kingsground workshop. James and Hazel came on board MM for coffee. What lovely people!
We cruised up to Millmead lock to wait for Mick and Sue to arrive at mid-day. We waved cheerio to the lovely Weyside Inn as we passed it. Best chips in the history of the universe!
Mick and Sue arrived on time, we were so pleased that they had asked to come.
We set off down to Gun's Mouth and back shortly after.
Again the very low bridge at Shalford but the river had gone down to a more normal level so this time we had a couple of inches to spare.
After turning at Gun's Mouth, we went back to Millmead and had a picnic on board before Mick and Sue left to drive home. It was lovely to have them on board at last and to take them for a short trip.
After they left, we set off north towards Cartbridge Marina where MM is booked in for the week. We passed the now empty and forlorn Debenhams store for the last time, wondering what will happen to that huge site.
Stoke lock looked lovely in the evening sunshine.
We very much had the river to ourselves on this lovely peaceful evening as nothing else was moving. But there were a lot of boats moored up on all the visitors' moorings and it looks as if things are going to get very busy this weekend and beyond as the school holidays start.
Farewell to Bowers Lock, much easier going down than coming up.
We had been hoping to moor on one of the two spaces by High Bridge at Send, but there were three boats squeezed in there already! So, we continued on and went straight in to Cartbridge Marina.
It actually worked out better as we were able to get MM into her mooring, hook up to the electricity and start getting ready to leave in the morning for a week at home.
It's been a truly marvellous few weeks, cruising with Mel and Peter, then having so many friends and family coming to visit us in lovely Guildford and Godalming.
Home for a week and then we will be back to MM next Saturday and going off the River Wey and back on to the Thames for a few weeks. So, watch this space!
Today: 9 miles, 6 locks and 5.1 hours.
Trip: 291 miles, 166 locks and 153.7 hours.
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