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A blog more about bikes than boats today!

We collected Naomhog from the marina after a very special weekend away – a family wedding by the coast, where the sun shone and the champagne flowed. The fish and chip supper was delicious and the home grown DJs with a preselected playlist ensured that the dancing was non stop until the midnight curfew, thanks to the largesse from the understanding neighbours! A brisk walk the next day cleared our heads and if anyone wants a recommendation for an excellent Indian restaurant, look no further, although it’s a bit of a schlep from London.

I always feel slightly apprehensive on departing from a marina. Perhaps because it feels very safe leaving our boat in a mooring. Once we are travelling I am never sure what will happen next. In this instance, it’s the realisation that the Webasto heater on the boat really has packed up. Fortunately, I was given a recommendation of a local marine engineer who arrived early this morning and found the fault, using computerized diagnostics, removed the Webasto and will hopefully return tomorrow having reconditioned and serviced it, replacing the burner. A more economic option than buying a new one. As the model has changed, it would require new pipe fittings and radiators. Ouch – sounds expensive!

Not long after the engineer left, we had visitors to the boat – a nursing friend I trained with over 40 years ago. I remet him on Friday at our nursing reunion (which proved to be a lovely catch-up even though I was useless at remembering anyone either facially or by name. I had to keep asking my friend JH, who was a fount of information, with far better recall than myself). J I did remember, partly because he was the only male in our set. Two started but one fell at the first hurdle! Living now near Kew, he was keen to come and visit us, so I was delighted when he followed this up by coming today with his wife. She and R were very long suffering as J and I had plenty to reminisce about. He chats almost as much as me, so our better halves didn’t get much of a look in. J took to the helm like a duck to water and I realised the Thames is quite good for those new to helming because, for the most part, it’s a wide river with space to manoeuvre. Unlike some of the very narrow canals.

Our day was slightly foreshortened by P, our youngest, needing to be collected from UCH, having had a procedure that required him being accompanied home. J kindly dropped me at a railway station so within a week I found myself twice at my old hunting ground, this time exploring the new hospital (last week I discovered many of the wards I had nursed on are now research labs, UCL having purchased the old hospital building). This is where the blog becomes about trains. P had arrived at UCH by bike this morning but was not in a fit state to ride it home so we pushed it to the nearest tube station. There we were told he could not take it on the tube. It wouldn’t fit on a bus, nor in a taxi and P himself was not up to walking it to Waterloo. So I pushed the bike from Gower St to Waterloo station, across the lovely pedestrian Bridge at Charing Cross with the fantastic view, using the bike like a walking stick! I was very impressed at how, by holding onto the saddle, the front wheel managed to stay in a straight line, so I didn’t mow down too many people heading in my direction.

Meanwhile P took the bus and we arrived at Waterloo at exactly the same time! We needn’t have rushed – South West trains then told us we weren’t allowed to take a non foldable bike on a train until after 7pm, so what to do for two hours with someone who really just needed to lie down and sleep off his sedation. We managed to sneak on a train just before 7pm and were met at the other end by R who kindly walked the bike the half hour journey back to the boat whilst we hopped in a taxi. Lesson learned – be careful where you take your bike. So much for being kind to the environment!!

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?!

We’ve had an eventful few months, but not on the boat, hence my lack of blogging. July 31st my kneecap locked, as I was reclining in bed, which is not very conducive to boat life, as I was unable to walk for a week and have only recently managed to increase my mobility to almost normal. Hopping on and off boats requires some dexterity so it’s a little unnerving when your body fails you! I blame it on a ski accident over twenty years ago and lack of strengthening exercises this year as I concentrated on emptying our house of clutter, ready to sell it. The good news is that the house has sold and we are currently residing in a retirement flat bought for my mum. It’s small but not as small as the boat, so going on the boat makes us appreciate how big the retirement flat is!! The house sale took longer than expected so the boat waited patiently in the background, which also gave my knee time to heal. The first time we took her out for an overnight jolly she broke down! Fortunately for us, Colin our wonderful engineer who has fixed our steering issues, immediately came to our rescue, diagnosed the problem and had us up and running a few hours later. Very kind of him since we were at Weybridge nowhere near to his base at Farncombe! An electric pump, needed to pump the diesel around the engine, had stopped working. I didn’t even know such a pump existed – I do now!

This past weekend we attended the Boaters Christian Fellowship annual get together in the Midlands, which was great fun, spiritually uplifting and gave us the opportunity to meet with other boaters on the waterways who are doing various Christian ministries all around the canal network, such as homemade soup runs. One lady arrived with a stash of wool and size 4 knitting needles and had those of us who could knit, knitting small squares which she then joined together to make a blanket to give to someone who needed it. I think we are going to get an ‘A’ frame to go on the towpath when we moor up, which will say that we have TIME to LISTEN and CHAT. Coupled with a cup of tea and biscuits (may even stretch to cake!) we hope to encourage passers-by to tell us their stories. So often people don’t feel heard anymore. Life just seems too busy. Richard remarks that what he likes about our boating adventure is waking up and thinking ‘I wonder who I will meet today’ rather than ‘what have I got to do today’. When I first met him he loved to sit in pubs listening to the older generation tell him stories. This is not so different (except the age gap is narrowing!).

It’s been a long day. Arriving on the boat with far too much food to fit in the cupboards, too many clothes for the drawers and other paraphernalia that now needs to be squirreled away, we then only had three locks ahead of us. At the first one there were two ladies in kayaks, enjoying a paddle on the water as part of their spa day at a local hotel. One of them however was in the water, which I found a bit surprising. Unfortunately she had capsized and was now looking for her mobile phone! We supplied a magnet to help with the task but alas the phone is no more. What a sad way to end what should have been a relaxing day. At least the weather has been kind so she wasn’t too cold.

I discovered a plastic box on our stern deck, containing wellies and a box of plastic gloves, all swimming in rain water. I tried to dry the gloves out!

So our plan was to leave the River Wey, travel along the Thames towards its source at Lechlade, returning to Reading to moor up on the K&A for the winter. All this is now in disarray, as from last night, when we were told Chertsey lock is closed and may be for the next six months! That means we can’t get on the K&A without going via the Grand Union Canal and the Oxford canal, a journey of far too many hours if we want to be in Reading within five weeks. I think what this way of life is teaching me more than anything else, is that I am not in control! Boat issues, river floods or water shortages, lock damage, weed overgrowth, all these things hamper ones plans, so it’s best not to have any fixed agenda and just go where you can, without worrying about a time schedule! The things that do worry me are where am I going to get water and is there a toilet pump out en route, a food shop and a laundrette. All the basic necessities. But it is an adventure and I’m pleased to be embarking on it with my long suffering husband, even though we now have no idea where we are going!

Our month on the beautiful Basingstoke canal, which extended to five weeks because we spent time in the dry dock in the last week, has come to an end and I feel grateful that we were able to explore it. Others have not been so lucky as it is not a given that the canal will be in a suitable condition for cruising. Lack of water is a big issue (ironic that our time on the neighbouring River Wey was blighted by too much water!) so in order to preserve this precious commodity the canal authority (which happens to be Hampshire and Surry county council) designates limited opening times for boaters to operate the locks. Once the last boat is through for the day, a warden caulks the lock gates which helps to prevent water leaking out through the cracks. There are twenty eight locks as you enter the canal near West Byfleet from the Wey river and then a lone lock at Ash, which has no operating restrictions. From Frimley Green to Odiham castle the canal meanders through leafy trees – it’s easy to forget how close to the road and rail line you actually are. The noise of the boat engine dims the noise of other nearby traffic! It’s not the easiest of canals – many of the pounds are so low in the water that you hear the propeller scraping across the basin bottom.

Blanketweed flourishes everywhere so a constant checking of the propeller is needed to ensure it is weed free and there is plenty of other rubbish hidden in the canal that can cause trouble should it also become attached.

The canal also boasts three incredibly low bridges! Many a boat needs to remove it’s cratch covers, wi-fi antenna, flower troughs and wood stores in order to pass under. We were no exception – everything was flattened out, even the lumps of coal and wooden logs were spread evenly across the roof! Plenty of mooring and very few boats meant that we had ample choice of where to moor up – often conveniently close to some good pubs. The weather was fantastic throughout the month, although that begged the question – would the canal run dry? We heard a few stories of boats stranded for months in past years due to this happening. A decision was made to close the canal for the season on 30th June so our timings have worked perfectly.

Every three days you are required to move your boat at least one mile to a new mooring. Our time on the Basingstoke has coincided with us downsizing and emptying our family home of thirty plus years. So it has not been a relaxed month on the water. Rather it has been a juggling act of moving the boat, finding a safe mooring and then leaving it for three days to return home to declutter and bombard Facebook marketplace with all sorts of ‘finds’. It’s surprising what proves popular – two old tin trunks and an even older wooden one all had plenty of takers. Whereas a good quality sofa had no interest at all! The plus side of moving the boat, whilst being relatively close to our home, is that we have had plenty of visitors aboard. We have welcomed both friends and strangers and it has been a joy to offer unhurried hospitality and offer a snapshot of our boating way of life. Many, knowing the canal from the towpath perspective, have been surprised at how different the view is from the boat and we have all been blessed at seeing nature at its best with bursts of glorious colours along the canal banks.

At Mytchett there is a canal centre and a camp site. Friends of ours with a camper named Beryl came down from the Midlands for a couple of nights and we had great fun with the boat and the camper alongside each other. Little did we realise 40 years ago when we first met that we’d all enjoy living in small spaces! We took the opportunity to take them to the sculpture park at Churt, which I had never visited although R had been once recently and was impressed. It really is a great place to go, especially on a hot summer day because there is plenty of shade and although there is a lot of walking involved if you see it all, you are surprised around every corner by over 600 pieces of sculpture.

We arranged for Naomhog to go into the dry dock, situated just above Lock 28, on the last few days of our stay on the canal and fortunately all went according to plan. Although having never been in a dry dock I hadn’t appreciated health and safety – I should have done a risk assessment! In order to get off the boat, which I realised once all the water had emptied, I couldn’t actually do, R placed two large logs, one on top of the other upended, on one of the steel struts. I then held onto a rope as I gingerly went over the side, wishing my legs were 6″ longer! Every time I was hanging onto the side rails of the boat (clearing the roof) I was conscious of the deep drop onto hard concrete. We used our plank to make a bridge to the dock edge and I now know the meaning of ‘walking the plank’! Only once did R nearly lose his footing and my heart went into my mouth, if that’s the right expression! Experienced boaters bring a ladder – we hadn’t thought about that!

Colin and Gareth from the Farncombe Boat House could not have been more helpful. The initial brief was to restore our steering column to enable us to handle the boat much more fluidly and to improve our chances of reversing in the direction we actually want to go! They ended up doing a plethora of jobs including a full boat service. The unfortunate news is that we have diesel bug which will require polishing the fuel to remove it. The bug thrives in water so it’s advisable to keep the fuel tank topped up to prevent condensation forming. Although our tank was full over the winter months this has not been the case recently so it seems like we are paying the price and will need to be extra vigilant in the future, ensuring that we use the preventative treatment for the bug much more intentionally.

We took the opportunity, whilst in dry dock, to paint some of the boat that needed touching up. On the advice of the previous owner, every time the boat got scratched, I dabbed on some grey undercoat to prevent the rust getting a hold. This resulted in splashes of grey being unevenly distributed along the sides of the boat. Three very kind and good friends came to help us in our task and the boat certainly looked ship shape as it left the dock. For once I was overly precious about navigating the locks – I didn’t want to undo their hard work and was conscious that the paint hadn’t yet had time to harden properly.

Fortunately the two days we were booked into the lock flights, it was windless and the sun shone so the descent was relatively painless. On the first day we were the third boat going down. The two in front were longer than us and slower so it was slightly frustrating being in a queue. The lock chambers fit two narrowboats which worked well until there was a lock whose exit doors did not fully open. The two boats took up so much lock space that there was no manoeuvrability and they became stuck, unable to exit. The only solution was to refill the lock, one of the boats to reverse out and the other to go down alone or with us, because we were much shorter. The first boater didn’t want to do this so we had a further delay waiting for him to descend, then the lock refill and then we joined the other boater who was fine having us alongside. What should have taken us about four and a half hours stretched to nearly seven! However the second day of locks, with 12 remaining, was much quicker and we were done and dusted by lunchtime.

We have returned to the flowing River Wey and where we go next remains a mystery, even to us!

It’s been an eventful six months but not on the narrowboat so hence my silence! Arriving at Farncombe Boat House in early December, I had no notion we would be there five months later but that is narrowboat life for you – always expect the unexpected! It meant we were able to make full use of “Hector’s”, the cafe on the cut. It’s not open every day, but when it is I thoroughly recommend a visit.

The high water levels we experienced in November continued throughout the winter months and even in early May we were prevented cruising along the Wey as much as we had hoped due to heavy rainfall. On the occasions we ventured out we found ourselves getting into difficulties, due to the height of the water, under two of the bridges on the outskirts of Guildford. The  wood store on our roof, along with the excess winter coal supply, found itself flattened along our roof top as we passed below the low bridges. On one occasion we got well and truly stuck. R had to shimmy along the outside of the boat, keeping his head ducked, to  rearrange all the items before we  could reverse out of the bridge. More flattening followed to enable us to continue forward, with barely an inch to spare. Even if we had wanted to leave the Wey and continue onto the Thames we would have been discouraged due to the Thames being in full spate. Nevertheless we did have a few breaks in the weather enabling us to offer  trips along the Wey. Our visitors book is testament to the times we were able to travel the six miles between Godalming and Guildford – a stretch of the Wey we now know well! It wasn’t always plain sailing. I now know how easy it is to literally get stuck in the mud and how useful a pole can be when trying to extricate the boat from such a situation, especially with a strong man at the end of it, although it’s probably rather unPC to say that! I’m also aware of how unnerving it can be to be on the boat alone when the current is fast flowing and the bends in the river occlude the view ahead. I was grateful that not many boats were moving in the opposite direction. Infact we passed relatively few moving vessels throughout the winter period, until we were upstream of Guildford last week. The locks were a challenge at times and we had to make full use of both the stern and bow ropes to keep the boat static in the lock.

On one occasion we decided to reverse the boat 300m back to its mooring in preference to having to go through a lock, turn around and go through the lock again. Naomhog doesn’t do reverse. At least not in any useful way. She has a mind of her own! So R was pulling her by a rope and observed by C, the Farncombe boat engineer. He offered to come aboard to show us how easy reverse is once you know the technique. The upshot is that he couldn’t reverse her either! The solution is expensive – replacing the steering column and, even more expensive, a larger propellor. My solution – sell the house to help pay for the boat! So now our house is on the market!! It does coincide with us wanting to downsize so my comment is partly in jest!

Never has such a short stretch of water taken so long to navigate! 25 days to cover thirteen miles. Since my last blog the River Wey has almost constantly been too dangerous to navigate. The plus side for us is that we were fortunate to be moored up in excellent locations. For ten days we moored at Dapdune Wharf in the centre of Guildford. Car to hand we were easily able to return home. The days on the boat gave us convenient access into Guildford town centre without the necessity of paying for car parking! We managed two trips to the cinema and had local friends come to visit us. The tea shop at Dapdune Wharf is well worth a visit and they have an extensive array of used books for sale.

However, it has been a rather unsettling month, not quite sure when we would actually arrive at our winter mooring. Thinking we would have been moored up by the 14th, I took the opportunity to arrange doctor and dentist appointments, only to find they coincided with the few days that the river was navigable. All quite frustrating. The last couple of days the weather has been less inclement but not totally without rainfall so it was in trepidation that I rang Thames lock this morning to find out their latest update. The lock keeper was extremely helpful and said he would ascertain from those in the know what the state of play currently was. Half an hour later we were given the green light. Our friends T and R joined us with their lovely, gentle, but full size dog and we left Dapdune Wharf just before midday. The trip was just over two hours, although we prolonged it by stopping for a picnic en route, eating al fresco on the stern deck. We could not have asked for a more perfect day, windless, with the sun shining. We had been warned of a couple of low bridges, made more hazardous by the high river. The lowest one necessitated R shimmying along the length of the boat and flattening his wood store. We had barely an inch of head room and had to ourselves duck to avoid the signs forewarning us of the impending danger. Broad fleets of water had formed in the meadows either side of the canal, reminding us of the sheet quantity of water that has recently fallen from the skies.

Arriving at our destination we filled up with diesel, to lessen the likelihood of moisture getting into the tank and causing a problem known as diesel bug. In order to then get to our mooring, we had to go through a lock, turn the boat around and go back through the lock so that we are facing in the right direction to moor up. A tricky enough manoeuvre made more difficult with the fast flowing current in the river.

It feels great being so close to home and my plan is to take the boat and friends out on short trips to either Godalming or Guildford when there are some sunny winter days. If you’d like to come along let me know and I will try and include you. I’m not imagining the rain will continue ad infinitum.

We were asked at church to think of a question we’d like to ask a biblical character – I thought of asking Noah how he dealt with all the rain! Yesterday was our first dry day since arriving on the Wey and there is noticeable evidence of flooding all around. Fortuitously the closure of Triggs lock has been postponed by a week so, assuming the water levels fall, we should in the near future be able to get the boat to its winter mooring.

Instead of boat moving we’ve been walking and discovering the delights around us. How true it is that you often never explore the area closest to you. I think I last visited Wisley, a garden of outstanding beauty, over twenty years ago and yet it is barely a 20 minute car drive from home. Our visit coincided with fine dry sunny weather, a craft show and a special jewellery event, with some eye boggling prices for exceptional craftsmanship. The enormous tropical gardens house left you feeling you actually had visited the jungle and reminded me of a visit to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I need never go so far again!

We walked back through Wisley village and visited the ancient small church en route. Today we walked to Pyrford and saw an equally beautiful compact Norman church. Both these churches are lovingly cared for, open in daylight hours for visits and private prayer and still hold regular services. However arriving on foot is treacherous. The narrow windy lanes have no footpaths so every time you hear a car you have to jump into the hedgerows as there is barely room for two cars to pass. On Sunday when we exited the pub carpark by car it took at least ten minutes to get over the single lane canal bridge. Most cars travelled at a snails pace so by the time they crossed over, another car arrived this lengthening the queue. Eventually a guy in a car waiting behind us ran across the bridge and forcibly stopped the traffic so that ‘our side’ had a go! Mayhem. This road is used as a rat run when delays arise on the M25 – I now understand why, the previous week, car horns hooted and people were shouting at one another. Sheer frustration.

It’s mid afternoon and it’s still threatening to rain. Maybe my hopes of moving will be thwarted once again. At least we managed a ‘pump out’ at the marina opposite. Not everything is sweetness and light in that department. There has been a noticeably stronger aroma in the boat, similar to some old people’s homes! When even R’s distorted sense of smell picked up on it I decided we had to investigate. No easy task. It involves removing our double mattress and finding somewhere to house it, whilst we then remove the bed base. Regrettably we discovered a small leak by the outflow pipe, only a noticeable problem when the tank gets very full. Pro-temp I have made a seal out of blutack and gaffa tape! Only time and smell will tell how long this works! Funnily enough we were told, just a few days ago, where we can source new tanks locally but we hadn’t anticipated maybe needing their expertise so soon!

Well, the good news is we’ve made it onto the River Wey navigation. The bad news is we can’t go anywhere until the river water levels drop. The good news is we are moored right outside a pub and a marina, so all facilities are to hand although the bad news is there are no food shops! A great excuse just to eat in the pub!

We left Shepperton on Tuesday morning in quite windy conditions and almost missed the sign pointing us to the Wey navigation so all was not sweetness and light! We arrived at the lock keeper’s cottage and I needed to produce proof of insurance, a mooring contact, a boat safety certificate …. all tucked away somewhere within my emails, so you can imagine the delay that involved – it’s all well and good not having paper copies, but it helps if you know how to access stored documents online! Eventually all was in order and we were allowed through the lock. The Wey navigation is the property of the National Trust so we are no longer under the authority of the CRT. The NT have different rules, beginning with how to operate a lock. The engine must be turned off and the boat secured fore and aft with mooring ropes. The initial lock, where we had the assistance of the lock keeper, found me edging along the side of the boat and balancing precariously to catch hold of the bow line. A tricky manoeuvre that I didn’t relish repeating. I then remembered our boat hook pole. At the next lock I just hooked the bow line using the pole – far safer. However on arriving at said lock we were surprised to find no way of easily alighting from the boat to operate the lock. It involved clambering onto our roof and then a heave-ho onto the side. Not sure how less able people would cope! The etiquette is to leave the exit gates open, thus taking longer to operate the lock with alot of walking involved, so our progress was fairly slow. The navigation itself is very pretty. I hadn’t realised it’s a combination of river and canal so some stretches are safe regardless of the weather conditions and the amount of rainfall. Mindful of the weather forecast, predicting heavy rain, we decided to moor just before arriving at Pyrford marina. That way, if the weather worsened and we were unable to continue our journey for a considerable time (red boards appear at the lock gates forbidding travel until further notice) at least we had the option of taking refuge in the marina. The banks of the canal proved to be muddy so we had to use our plank to reach the towpath. Hunkering down for the night we heard the continuous rainfall but, with no sides of the boat touching the bank, we were mercifully bump free!

Awaking on Wednesday morning, we were not surprised to read on the National Trust weather site that the navigation was closed on the river sections. Friends from home came to visit and as we walked along the towpath to meet them, we were delighted to find a pub around the corner. We are now moored right outside it on mooring bollards, which we have been informed are far safer to use for mooring when water levels are high. No one can tell how long the navigation will be closed so we just have to sit tight and wait. I hitched a lift home with our friends, returning with our car which means we can go out and about. I took the opportunity to have a quick bath. With the boat not moving the options for hot water and power are limited.

Friday was glorious in the sun. A perfect day to travel but when I rang the wardens in charge of the navigation they said the water levels are still on the rise so the river is unsafe. We welcomed more visitors and went for a walk inland. With flooding in the nearby fields and along the paths, we ended up with very wet feet! The day was surprisingly mild and after lunch R and I took another walk along the towpath southward. We were surprised to see a long queue of cars blocking the nearby country lane so I looked at the travel information only to find an accident on the A3 had redirected all the traffic in our direction. The jam continued all afternoon and there was much beeping of horns and at times raised voices from irate and frustrated drivers.

A drink in the pub was preferable to a slightly damp boat and then going straight to bed meant we didn’t need to light the woodburner – surprisingly it is just not quite cold enough!

Today we awoke to a steady drizzle of rain but this didn’t deter R’s second cousin, her husband and two of their children coming to visit us. Not really knowing where I am, I was surprised to hear they live just ten minutes away. It was a very happy visit as we hadn’t seen them since before lockdown so there was lots of chat. They left having invited us to supper and baths on Monday night and an open invitation to make use of their home, which is incredibly kind of them. Looking at the forecast we really don’t know how long it will be before we will be allowed to move on and their offer of a dry bolt hole is very reassuring.

It’s late morning and we have just moored in an idyllic spot in Shepperton in preparation for moving onto the River Wey tomorrow. We arrived yesterday having enjoyed a beautiful run from Hampton Court, sun shining and not too much breeze, accompanied by good friends from Epsom, who arrived laden with goodies for lunch. It was slightly unsettling to see two dead swans in the water, about a quarter of a mile apart, as one can only imagine what the cause of death may have been. Just chatting to a passerby, he said further ahead we will see more dead swans and he thinks they electrocute themselves on the overhead power lines. He had noticed a lone swimmer shouting not far from our boat. We reassured him that she had been swimming nearby for about fifteen minutes and could easily have swum to the river’s edge or signalled to us for help. I think she was just happy!  I noticed on the map we are close to a cold water swimming area but rather her than me. It feels unseasonably warm for November, but there is still a hint of winter coming, especially now the clocks have changed. Walking through the woodland adjacent to our boat the muddy paths reminded me of our previous canal trip over the winter months, much in inclement weather. This summer has softened us up and lulled us into believing that bad weather doesn’t happen!

After mooring up yesterday by a park bench, we received a genial greeting from an inebriated man, which slightly made us wonder how long we would have his company, but we obviously were not that interesting as he wandered off shortly after! Surprised to find it was barely 4pm we walked around the locality, only to find ourselves caught in a downpour which drenched the four of us from the knees down! That was the beginning of some wild weather that continued into the early hours. I didn’t manage to sleep much as I kept imagining our mooring ropes loosening and us ending up someway along the river. The boat gently banged against the concrete ledge of the riverbank throughout the night and I realised the difference between river and canal conditions as our boat really did rock! It was still raining when we awoke and the weather app did not look very promising. However the rain stopped long enough for us to walk further along the river and pinpoint our next mooring, which is where we currently are, surrounded by trees and only one other boat in sight. There are plenty of planes overhead and the distant rumble of train tracks – the river looks an oasis of calm and yet it’s only a short distance from vibrant life. Our view at Kingston, where we have just left, was totally different – a large John Lewis store and numerous brightly lit restaurants viewed across the river. R’s back went into spasm, I think from pushing too hard on a lock gate and a night on a rather hard bed, so Friday saw him staying on the boat whilst I took myself off into Central London to meet up with some of his American cousins, B and S. Arriving at their hotel I went through a revolving glass door that was so clear I didn’t see it and banged my nose into the plane of glass, much to the amusement of B, sitting in the lobby awaiting my arrival. Saying I needed the bathroom she thought I would like to try the Japanese facilities in her room – a heated toilet seat followed by a wet wash and then, because I was fiddling with the remote control, I discovered a hot air dryer!! We then went to an amazing Indian restaurant in Kensington. The slightly complicated and long bus journey to and from Kingston was certainly worth the effort! By Saturday R’s back had eased so we visited my niece and her family near Acton. Originally we were going to meet at a cafe in Richmond, but it was only after arriving in Kingston I realised how scarce our water supply would be until we reached Hampton, so she kindly said we could use her shower! I was unaware water taps on the Thames were in such short supply. Had I known, I would have searched more diligently for the water tap at Brentford and filled our tank. At the time, I was more anxious about travelling the tidal Thames, than how much water we had on board. We had a great visit with my niece – she knows me well, so there were crumpets, chocolate cake and gin to partake of along with a couple of amusing hours with her delightful two year old to entertain us and the rugby for R to watch!

On Sunday we went to the parish church at Kingston as it was so close to the River and I was reminded of my father’s services – the priest singing the Eucharistic prayer and the use of incense on special occasions, which this service happened to be. The choir sang beautifully and it was very moving to be part of an adult baptism – two new members of their congregation committing themselves to Christ and making a public declaration of their faith. In the afternoon we moved the boat to Hampton Court amused to see that the car park to the palace was full and the traffic very heavy – it would seem it’s easier to arrive by boat!

Later the same day:

Shepperton, unlike Kingston, still has a coin operated launderette so I took myself off to find it whilst R enjoyed a couple of hours of peace. Whilst waiting for my wash, I sat outside at a nearby cafe, warmed by the sun as the rain had eased. A lady introduced herself, told me she was a Christian, so I said I was too and we chatted away. As I left, explaining I was going to collect my laundry, she told me her address (a flat across the road) and said that if ever I needed to do any more washing or wanted a shower I was to turn up at her door and if she was in I could make use of whatever I needed. I could tell that she meant it and the reason I am recounting this story is because I am often taken by surprise at the kindness of strangers. In return, I treated her to her cup of coffee!

Awaking this morning to the occasional gentle bump of our riverbank mooring, I am excited by the thought of the next stage of our journey.

It has been an eventful week, beginning with our leaving Alperton on Monday morning in full wet weather gear. The weather was gloomy, with rain forecast all day so there was little point in delaying our departure in the hopes we could travel in the dry a few hours later. Our game plan was to stay the night at Southall, as the canal is within easy walking distance of the railway station. We had been invited to a family supper on Monday evening in South East London, which involved co ordinating three different trains. Once the Elizabeth line is operating fully, the journey will be far less complicated but at present you have to change trains at Paddington station, which is sprawling! A quick visit to the nearby Lidl (I discovered a recent email entitling me to £5 off if I spent £40!) and then on with the waterproofs, which kept us amazingly dry and warm. I reflected on the phrase that there is no such thing as bad weather when you are in the right clothing. I certainly enjoyed the trip along the canal more than anticipated. My greatest concern is being pulled sideways into the moored up boats when there’s windy conditions. A little rain comes with the territory of being British! Typically the sun did then shine in the afternoon and the weather improved considerably.

We found a mooring in Southall and made our way to the tube, slightly surprised to see some fireworks being let off in the daylight! By the time we returned to the boat later in the evening the whole area was alight with fireworks and it honestly sounded like we were in the middle of a war zone. I just hope there were not too many Ukrainian refugees in the vicinity. The noise and bright colours lighting up the sky went on until well after midnight – apparently this is one of the ways Diwali is celebrated.

A flight of locks on Tuesday saw the arrival of our lovely friend BBT who came to help us. We had to move the boat to Hanwell in order to meet him at the top of the flight but as it was a sunny day with no rain in sight, this took no time at all. Just after midday another friend joined us in her ‘lunchbreak’ so with 4 on board we completed the locks in no time and were comfortably moored up just after the Osterley lock by early afternoon. The mooring was very pretty, next to a wood and with a few other boats to keep us company. The one slight disadvantage was the close proximity of the M4 but as we were staying off the boat for the night, this was not an issue for us. One of our nephew’s lives a twenty minute bus ride from our mooring so we found a path through the wood, hopped on a bus and spent a very enjoyable and comfortable night with convivial company. A full on powershower the next morning set us up for the day and we returned to find Naomhog still intact – always a slight worry when you leave the boat in unfamiliar territory.

Returning to the boat early yesterday morning we had quite a bit to accomplish in order to prepare for our trip on the tidal part of the Thames. We had to arrive at Brentford lock in a timed window of 1410-1610 as that was when the tide was on the flood. The danger of going on the water at the wrong tide level is that you can literally get stuck in the mud! Hence why you are given a set time and sometimes, if the water level is too high or the wind too strong, you are not able to proceed at all. Thankfully the weather conditions yesterday were favourable. In preparation we had to attach our anchor to the bow of the boat. There are many discussions on the best placement of an anchor. Obviously as a single handed boater you need the anchor nearby but we had plenty of hands aboard as three friends joined us so our anchor could be at the far end of the boat. Everything loose in the cabin, especially my bits and pieces in the galley, needed to be stowed away. We checked the engine, grateful that it had been serviced last week, when we had been assured that the engine can travel at speed when needed, so taking it up to 2400 revs is not an issue for an extended period – 1400 revs max is more our norm on the canals. An inspection of the weed hatch revealed a carrier bag caught around the propellor shaft which we readily removed. The rug on the bow deck needed stowing away. Infact we found half of it already sodden, from the downpour on Sunday, so needing to be dried out we placed it on the roof. Not such a good idea – later in the day the wind caught it and deposited it on the Thames! Only the quick thinking action of a crew member saved the day as we managed to haul it onto the cruiser deck. Rather annoying as it had just about dried out by then!

All set to go, I walked through the wood to pick up our crew, B and M. Earlier than expected, they were just ordering a beer and takeaway in the nearby pub. Returning to the boat after refreshment there was still plenty of time to go along the remaining stretch of water, through a lock (with an incredibly stiff gate that took three of us to open!) and then another lock that was electrically operated with no lock keeper in sight. R managed to open the relevant CRT gates that enabled him to reach the controls and just as we went through there, our friend K, with the long orange boat, turned up on foot to join us for the ride.

Arriving at Brentford with half an hour to spare we all had cups of tea as there was a big sign reminding us alcohol and boats don’t mix! Then we were off through the lock, with Bu on the helm. An experienced sailor, who had hired narrowboats previously, we decided to let him take the helm. You are lulled into a false sense of security as you exit the Thames lock because the first quarter of a mile is very sheltered. It is as you make a definite right turn that the waves begin and so you increase the revs on the boat to combat the winds and tide. We were fortunate to have reasonable conditions and apart from the flying rug, nothing else untoward happened, so we admired the glorious autumn colours and the amazing architecture of some beautiful houses and mansions. I had to apply a firm grip to both camera and hat to take pictures of the passing scenery, to stop the wind stealing my belongings. It was a wonderful experience and both R and I were grateful to enjoy the cheerful companionship of M and B – they were a very reassuring presence for our first trip on tidal water. A pint or two in a Teddington hostelry was the reward as we waited for their wifely taxi service! One wife taxied them to us and the other taxied them away! B is already booked for when we tackle Limehouse to Teddington in the somewhat distant future as it’s a stretch of the Thames I would love to do but you really have to have your wits about you as there is a lot of wash from the many boats of varying sizes! We encountered very few boats on this stretch.

The day ended with a twenty minute walk to yet another cousin who happens to live in Teddington and she treated us to a delicious supper and even offered us a bed for the night, which we declined, but were very grateful for and may well take her up on the offer when we next come this way. Our time in London has been highlighted by so many family connections in addition to the friends who live nearby.