Friday 29 June 2012

It was a late start this morning, I blame it on the excellent Stake and Kidney pie we had last night in the Five Miles from Anywhere pub, it wasn’t something in a pot with a bit of puff pastry floating on top but a good size piece cut from a large pie packed full of meat with real pastry top, bottom and edge.

Looking out through the porthole I spotted a couple of good size moorhen chicks. I understand that they have had a rough time of it in some parts of the country. As you can see this part of the pub lawn is covered with Swan feathers.

It was gone eleven before we got away heading downstream in a fresh breeze. We passed the two fallen trees that I reported to the EA in March and again 3 days ago, only now there is 3, with a third coming down this week, but that is not touching the water, YET.  We pushed on until we reached the junction of the Great Ouse, River Cam and the Old West River. Here we turned left onto the Old West. Under the railway bridge and passed out favourite mooring, there are still 2 boats moored here that were here last time we passed, 1 of them has been here for months.
The Grebes seem to be doing well around these parts this year as well. This mum had 4 and we have seen several with 3 youngsters some of which are getting quite large and independent now.
About a mile along the old West it started to rain and the wind freshened making standing on the back of a boat looking into it a bit unpleasant, but I battled on. We have moored for the night on the GOBA moorings just before the Lazy Otter pub. and at last the sun has come out, but we still have a stiff breeze.