I think the powers that be decided they couldn’t just shut Chertsey lock when they haven’t even formalised a plan going forward. As far as I can tell, one of the lock gates is broken and a large waterborne crane is needed. The Environmental Agency has decided some boats can go through and fortunately we are one of them! So, 1030 next Thursday, we have our passage booked and we can return to ‘plan A’, hopefully getting on the K&A before the winter maintenance program begins, shutting off yet more locks. So if anyone wants a trip on the river near Shepperton next Tuesday or Wednesday do get in touch because we will be poutling around and happy to have visitors. The great thing about the Thames is that you can turn easily as it’s so wide. The not so good thing is coping with the current as I discovered this afternoon as we took the boat into a berth at a very swanky marina. My jaw dropped at all the amazing motor cruisers we are moored alongside. Attempting to reverse in, our stern canopy (lesson – tuck it away more tightly!) and metal frame got caught on a stationary gin palace’s anchor as we glided a little closely in front of them and one side of our metal frame pinged off. Fortunately that was the only part of the boat we connected with but I had visions of our canopy being irreparable and £££ signs flashing before my eyes. R was much calmer as he realised the metal bar had just popped out of its socket and was easy to fix once he found the correct screwdriver to tighten it up. Phew – no lasting damage done and a lesson taught to me about wind and manoeuvring the boat in choppy waters. A very nice man came to our rescue as he could see my panic – we threw him a rope and he helped moor the boat, fortunately in the correct berth. His boat is a rather large and splendid yacht right opposite Naomhog – she looks rather less sophisticated in comparison. His wife shouted me a friendly greeting to the effect that she had ‘used the same words’ in a tricky situation, which left me wondering just what I had been saying when I thought we’d never get the boat in the mooring without connecting with a few others in the process!!
We’re having trouble getting our Webasto heater to work, a similar problem to when we tried in June and we were given helpful advice from another boater, involving removing a fuse and then replacing it, numerous times until the Webasto fires up! All a bit tricky as the fuse is not well positioned and there’s a risk of dropping it into the engine bay. I think it’s something to do with not having used it over the summer – it likes regular attention! So no central heating for us for the foreseeable. We’ll just have to cook on our portable bbq to get a bit of heat as it’s not cold enough for the boat stove yet to be fired up. On opening the engine bay, beneath the stern floorboards, I was dismayed at how much water had amassed, the result of rain getting through when our stern canopy was left down. I spent a good half hour mopping out the water, another reason I didn’t want a broken canopy over the next few weeks!
We’ve moored in a marina for the weekend as we are off to a family wedding and didn’t want to leave the boat to the mercy of the river currents in case of inclement weather. I’m also going to a nursing reunion tomorrow at UCH (London) – I think it must be a 45 year catch up. I was the class rep and hopeless with names even then so I have no idea who anyone will be, even if I do recognise them! It will be interesting to look around the hospital – coincidentally our son was there last week – some procedure necessary after a bit of a bike accident. It has changed dramatically since my day but I expect it is still connected underground by a maze of rat invested corridors in the basement that pass under all the roads above.
I’m writing this in the marina laundry as my wash is drying. I made R strip off so that everything he was wearing could be washed and then suggested he walk along the outside of the building to the shower block in his towel. Not a good suggestion apparently! I have just had one of the best showers ever. The disabled shower is a wet room with a powerful shower hose and a rose head. I decided my crooked knee warranted me disabled enough to use it – the alternative was a push button, just like we had at our family holiday house, until everyone complained enough for it to be replaced! It’s a bit tricky dragging my knee around, although it is so much better and a stick is only needed on long walks. Tomorrow is a good half hour walk to the railway station. We timed it this afternoon (because we also needed to know the route) and I realise how annoying it is for R to have to walk at my pace and how annoying it is for me!! Oh to be back on the tennis court! Mind you, there’s not much opportunity for tennis on the canals. What I’d really like is a program of knee physio exercises suitable for a canal boat – other boating friends would like back and shoulder ones so if any physio is reading this and can oblige we’d be very grateful!
We met such an interesting man at the pub – well into his seventies, a carpenter by trade but running his own building firm, practising all the trades, commuting from Lands End to London on a regular basis and then periodically to America where he has a couple of properties he is refurbishing. In his twenties he was on the corporate ladder, earning a good salary and likely to be in the city for his entire working life. He fell in love with rock climbing, became a nomadic and has climbed all over the world and is still climbing today. He was an inspiration and for his age, still very fit and agile. You never know who you are going to meet and the story they have to tell.
And to finish, this boat is moored next to ours _ something to aspire to?!
NarrowboatTLC 