N Oxford canal bridge 11

 I nipped out last night and managed to snap this picture just as the camera batteries died, at least I could charge them overnight.

One of the two blocks of buildings in the basin is now fully boarded up on the lower level and the boarded windows covered with C&RT posters, I don't know if these have ever been open as retail outlets, how nice it would be if there was an evening eating establishment with a bar there.

This morning was a real holiday start with a full English breakfast take at the café the other side of the basin, sitting out in the warm morning sun. A most enjoyable way to start the day.
We met two boats on our way back to Suttons Stop who were heading for the basin. I seams the graffiti we have seen along the canal may not be graffiti at all, what ever it is the people doing it are far more skilful than me.

The old weavers cottages that were built by J J Cash are fully scaffolded at the moment for some reason.

Back at Sutton Stop we swung under the bridge to join the North Oxford canal, There was a boat in the lock and another behind waiting to go in, for some reason there was also a boat waiting who must have come through the lock so I could only get the bows in to let Diana off. The boat directly ahead of us tied the boat off in the lock, unfortunately they tied it to short to close the bottom gate behind it, so spent some time in the lock until they released the rope, I found out later they had no reverse. By now it was really warming up and we made our way along the N Oxford only to meet a rather smokey Springer towing a much larger Narrowboat backwards at a very slow speed, one of the boats following sad they had be behind them  for an hour like that. We were holing to meetup with old Ipswich friends on there boat around Ansty, but they had started early and were moored between bridges 11 and 13 so we dropped in behind them and spent the rest of the day/evening with them. We were lucky enough to watch a Water Vole swimming back and forth across the cut.

Todays Journey 8 miles, 1 lock in 3¼ hours

Tom asked about the mooring signs in Coventry Basin, these are new signs which have just been erected and later this month you actually need to book them as they expect the basin to be busy with the City of Culture.