Napton to BCN Explorer Cruise

We set off at 9 30 am towards Curdworth, I was lucky that we moored where we did as the road gets very close to the canal once passed the Fazeley Marina entrance for some time. As we approached the Curdworth flight we started to catch up with the hire boat ahead of us, which was surprising considering how fast he came past us this morning and as we slowed behind him boats were starting to appear behind up. When we arrived at Curdworth bottom lock the hire boat pulled in and just tied up, we had pulled and Diana had gone up, turned the lock and opened the bottom gate for them before they considered doing anything else. Diana helped them through the lock, it was obvious they didn't have much idea what to do and we can only assume they had met boats at locks all day yesterday who worked them through. As we entered the lock I spotted Graham bringing Jannock coming through the bridge about 5 boats behind us. Going up the flight we helped the boat ahead as much as possible and hopefully were able to offer advice that would make their trip both easier and enjoyable. After the next few locks still helping them through I didn't have the heart to tell them they were supposed to close the gates when they left the lock. We met a few boats in the flight that eased our passage but the two boats behind us managed to keep up with us with ease. It wasn't until the last couple of locks the hire boat managed to draw ahead and give us a cleaner run, even if we did have to turn the locks.
About a mile above Curdworth top lock we came upon some of the other boats moored up outside the now closed  Kingsley Arms. At first I tried mooring on the behind them but there was insufficient depth to get anywhere near the bank so we moved forward and moored right outside the pub against the piled bank, about half an hour later Jannock came along and moored on the outside of us. This was convenient as Brenda had offered to feed both us and the crew of Gecko with one of her home made curries. In the end they also invited the crew of Blue Moon along for the evening.
At 7 pm. we all gathered in the pub carpark to be briefed on the activities for the week ahead and also to organise starting times for the morning so we don't all arrive at the locks together. There will be 26 of us leaving between 6 and 10 am so that should spread things out quite well.

 

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to BCN Explorer Cruise

Sunday

Last night a hire boat from Springwood Haven came down the flight in the dark and moored just in front of us, this morning they decided to start their engine at 7 am and not move until 9.
We set off at 9 30 am. and stopped for water about half a mile below the locks, while we were there two more hire boats came down, obviously travelling together. There was a boat on the water point when we arrived so we moored just behind him and waited until he moved off before backing up and taking water. The first of the two hire boats after pulling into the long term moorings on the off side stopped opposite us and when we moved back he pushed across and took the spot we had vacated, his mate arrived and stopped opposite the water point. As soon as we had finished taking water we moved off, instead of the first boat moving back, the one on the other side seeing a boat coming down the cut just pushed off right in front of it, threw his stern line to his mate standing by the water point who pulled him in swinging the bow to the opposite bank, the boat was now 45 degrees across the canal about 100 feet in front of this pore chap coming down the cut. Not a word was said from ether side and the chap stopped his boat in the centre of the cut and waited until they sorted themselves out. All because they thought they miss their turn at the water point, they only left the boat yard yesterday afternoon.
As we were in no hurry I waved several boats passed that caught up with us, it was obvious that they were travelling faster than I wanted to so I was quite happy to see them on their way. Why don't the boaters I catch up with do this?
A short break for Diana to go to the Tesco Express just before Tamworth. A boater coming towards us said there was no point in hurrying as there was a good queue at Glascote locks and he was right. While Diana was shopping I went fishing with the magnet and caught yet another mooring spike to add to my collection.
When we arrived at the Glascote Looks there were boats ahead of us but they were locking so slowly with boats coming up as well, it must have taken us the best part of 2 hours to do these, but the sun was shining and most people were cheerful. Once through the locks it was still quite congested as the Tamworth Cruising Club have been holding an event this weekend. We continued on to Fazeley Junction and turned hard left on to the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, carried on for about half a mile and moored outside the new marina.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to BCN Explorer Cruise

Saturday

Last night because my son and his family came to see us we ate at The Greyhound, We went in about 6 30 and asked for a table for 6 but they were fully booked, then the initiative of the waiter clicked in, "This table is booked for 8, can you be clear by then?" We told him if the service was good enough we would be well gone. How easy it is to just say, sorry all tables are booked. The food was much better than I remember having there before and my son said it's the best canal pub we have ever taken him to too eat. That is praise.
This morning we set off just before 10 am. and met very few boats, but I did manage to meet two in the course of the day right in bridge holes and in both cases they had to pass me on the wrong side.
We stopped for coffee with Peter and Hazel on their end of garden moorings in Nuneaton before pushing on to the Atherstone flight, we caught these quite well, the top one was down a foot and then we met boats at every lock until we reached Barry Hawkins's At Baddesley Wharf yard then things got patchy, a couple against us, and a couple with boats just entering from below. The locks on this flight empty a lot faster than they fill, but I suppose in their working days the side ponds would have speeded the filling. Maybe the top paddles are intentionally small to encourage the working boaters to use the side ponds, especially if they were fitted with a large paddle.
We moored for the night at 5 pm just below the bottom of the flight on the mooring rings just after the lock moorings.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to BCN Explorer Cruise

Friday

Last night we at at the Bistro at Hillmorton Locks, when you go in there are notices telling you its not a restaurant but a cafe, the tables look like cafe tables, they are laid like cafe tables, when our food came the portion size was like a good cafe but the food quality was  as good as we have had anywhere and at the end of the meal, 2 starters, 2 main courses (we couldn't manage sweet) 2 coffees carafe of red wine and a beer and I got change out of £40. Will we go again, you bet.
It must have rained for 12 hours yesterday but this morning was overcast but dry, we pushed off at 9 am in case it turned wet again but as the day wore on it got warmer. There were only 2 boats on the 14 day moorings at Newbold and none on the 24 hour moorings and this was just after 10 in the morning, we also noticed that there was room for 4 boats at the beginning of the long term moorings. Passing through Newbold tunnel we noticed that the lights are not working. The question is, should we tell BW so they can fix it and spend money on electricity or just forget about it?
We had a very pleasant 5 hours making our way to Hawkesbury junction meeting several boats on the way but were surprised that the moorings were quite full, we passed through the junction and have moored about 200 yards down the Coventry canal towards Nuneaton.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to BCN Explorer cruise

Thursday

We woke to a fine sunny morning, one or two boats went past early but there was little about until about 10 am. We set off just after 10, entered the top lock and a couple of boats came along behind us. The first came in the lock with us and before we had shut the gates another boat had joined the one above waiting. We only went down one lock and pulled into Calcutt marina to fill with diesel at 62/108 p lt. It was the first time I have ever been able to come along side there, in the past its always being a case of backing in to the diesel point, but with all the hire boats out there was stacks of room. We took on 90 lts , I went in and paid for it and we pulled away from the dock just as the 2 boats who were coming down the lock behind us were leaving, so we sailed straight in to go back up again. We retraced our steps to Wigrams Turn where we turned left and headed for Napton. At Shuckbrugh two contractors were mowing and strimming the towing path, unfortunately one of them cut into a wasps nest which resulted in him collecting several stings. Things were quite quiet in the area of Napton Turn at Braunston with several vacant mooring spots. Here we turned left again and headed along the North Oxford canal, we had not gone far when it started to rain and it continued like this for the rest of the day. As we dropped through Hillmorton locks Diana called in at the Bistro and booked us a table for this evening, we have heard good reports about this place but have never been passing at a suitable time to visit. Once through the third lock we started to look for somewhere to moor for the nigh, but we had to continue well down before we found a space in the 14 day moorings and now we are sitting on a bend with the bows in and the stern out getting quite a bang every time a boat passes, when the rain eases I will go and play with the fenders.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to BCN Explorer Cruise

Wednesday 5 Aug 09

We arrived at the boat just before 5 30 pm and not a moving boat in sight, how different from when we left last week with a queue of 15 for the locks. Harnser was hard aground with a good tide mark showing round her hull. The biggest problem was getting the mooring lines off because we couldn't pull her in to get any slack. Once I had these off loads of reverse soon had us on the move. It turned out that I hire boat coming up had tried to fill Napton Top Lock with the bottom paddles full up, talking to other boaters we met it seams they tried the same thing on the second lock as well and went off leaving all top paddles fully up. So if you have problems at Claydon today you will know why.
We had a good run down the flight and considered stopping at the Bridge to eat, As we passed the pub there was frantic waving from the restaurant,  I couldn't see who it was with the reflections but then we Passed Quiddich moored there so I am guessing it was Will. Unfortunately there were no vacant moor and as it had already turned 8 we thought that by the time we had secured the boat on pins to the very soggy towing path it would be to late anyway, so we continued on to the Top of Calcutt locks were we moored for the night at 8 30 pm. All of Napton Narrowboats are out at the moment as are all the Calcutt hire boats.
As the sun went down the sky cleared and being a full moon turned into a pleasant evening.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Wormleighton to Napton

Thursday

We set off at 9 am, its only just over a couple of hours from here to Napton on a good day, We soon caught up with a boat ahead of of us and slowed down to a little over tickover. The boat in front caught up with a hire boat and slowed down, we were now down to tickover. We finally reached the Marston Doles locks at 11 am. There were 9 boats ahead of us, by the time it was down to 4 in front there were 6 behind. We cleared the pair at 1 pm. When we got back to our mooring we found an Oxfordshire Narrowboat moored there. They had been there all night and this morning had left the boat and walked into Napton. We always have trouble getting back into our mooring as the silt builds up while we are away, trying to get inside another boat made it twice as difficult, plus the draw from Napton Top Lock slewed my stern across the cut. Eventually we got Harnser along side and the hire boat breasted outboard of us and set to packing away. The last trip to the car was made in the rain just as the couple from the hire boat were returning from the village, they were very apologetic and said the only saw the privet sign on the gate when they returned to the boat. Just as we were about to leave a passing boater who we had spent time with at locks over the past few days told us that there were 15 behind him when he came down.

Harnser is now on her moorings until next week, watch this space.

Slat Mill to Wormleighton

Wednesday

This morning we were on the move at 8 am, two boat between us and the lock had already gone and we heard at least one go by before we were up.
It was fine when set off but it wasn't long before the rain started, maybe it will stop soon. We passed the water point at Cropredy as there was one boat using it and another waiting, straight on to Cropredy lock and as we were about to leave another boat arrived above to save closing the gates. There were boats moored almost to where the long term moorings use to be at Broadmoor lock. Up through Elkington Lock and the boat ahead that we had just caught up with was attempting to wind at Clattercoat Wharf, Nicholson shows this as a winding hole, but I am not sure if it is, all the boats I have seen trying to wind there seam to have a lot of trouble. We gave the steerer a little advice, like back up more, push the tiller over, try a bit more revs. His wife, who by now was ashore at the wharf said "thank goodness some one has told him to give it some welly, he wont listen to me". When we arrived at the bottom of the Claydon flight 2 boats were waiting, but they were soon on there way and we stayed well singled out all the way up the flight, we met several boats in the flight and this helped rather than hindered us. As I entered the top lock, being watched by the instructor and pupils of Wildcat training, the engine coughed a few times after I put the power on to stop against the cill, glad it didn't happen as I entered. I diagnosed the problem to be dirty fuel filters, I had planned to clean them after filling with diesel, but as I couldn't fill up I had put it off, I only did them about 18 months and 1500 hrs ago. Driving gently things seemed fine so we continued on our way to Fenny to fill with water. There was a boat on the water point with his engine running, but I was told he had been there for 48 hours. The owner was talking to someone and from what I could catch of the conversation I think it was a BW enforcement officer. Once the conversation had ended the guy offered to pull his boat back a bit, which he did, this meant we could lay along side to fill with water, however it also meant that the exhaust fumes from the moored boat, which were quite excessive were now pumping into the boat on the 24 hr mooring, he complained that ended in a lot of F-ing and blinding from the chap shill on the water point. As soon as we had enough water we pushed off. Afterwards we remembered this was the same chap that we had seen on our way down Claydon, swearing at everyone in sight saying he was just out of prison and was heading for a fight with the chap who took his girl away. We carried on gently in the pouring rain to Wormleighton where we pulled in at 2 30 pm to moor for the night. I set about changing the fuel filters, the first one by the tank was quite black and was probably causing the problem, but I changed the one on the engine at the same time. I also changed the plug in the sedimentor bowl from plastic to metal, its done two BSC inspections but may just get picked up next time, needles to say the washer leaked and had to come out again. I thought I had bled the filters satisfactory but when I started the engine it ran for about 5 seconds and stopped, so I had bleed the injectors as well. Good job the starter battery is in good nick. The boat now smells of diesel, but that will go, eventually.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Somerton Meadow to Slat Mill Lock

Tuesday

What a day, I have never had a days boating like it before. We set off at 9 am and tied up at 7 30 pm. ten and a half hours to do 14 miles and 7 locks, that's 2 lock miles per hour and the only time we stopped other than waiting for locks was to fill up with diesel at Banbury, well we would have if I hadn't run his pump dry. The canal was so busy that Sovereign Narrowboats was still open when we got there at 5 30 pm and he normally closes at 4 pm. We queued for an hour and a half at Banbury lock where we were ninth in line when we arrived. The strange thing was that half the moorings in Banbury where empty when we passed through.
Diana spotted a Mink scurrying along the base of one of the disused lift bridges which was the wildlife highlight of the day and I found two mooring stakes and a mooring hook with my magnet.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Thrupp to Somerton Meadows

Monday

Just after we moored up last night it started to rain and it was still raining when we left this morning. We pushed off just after 9 am and I have never seen this end of the Oxford so busy, at Northbrook Lock we were fourth in the queue for the lock and we must have met over 20 boats by then and we continued queuing for the rest of the day. The rain stopped about half ten but then we had odd showers for the rest of the day with very hot sunny spells in between. We pushed on longer than intended as we couldn't find a nice spot to moor, finally mooring by the Meadow at Somerton. Since we have been here several boats have been by including one from Oxfordshire Narrowboats who had a breaking was behind him. The chap behind shouted at him and he throttled back immediately, but still pulled the pins on the boat ahead of us and dragged our piling hook almost into the next indent, it was only recovered by the use of a lump hammer.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Tadpole Bridge to Thrupp

Sunday

Last night we ate at The Trout who's moorings we were on. The food there is not cheap but we think it is very good for a once in a while treat, I couldn't do it every night.
Today's forecast was bad and we left at 10 to a very overcast sky, we met several boats on our way down stream, but I don't think we shared any lock all day, may be Thames boaters don't go out if there is a bad forecast ! We had very short waits at locks, in most cases they were filling as we arrived. We turned off the Thames into Ducks Cut and met a boat just before Dukes cut lock and there was another boat ahead of us waiting to return to the canals from the river. BW were at Duke Lock again checking the bottom gate as it had been reported that there were problems opening it full, they had a fish around but were unable to find anything or any problem with the gate.  the second time this year when we have been at this lock when BW have been investigating the bottom gate so it is something intermittent. We continued up the canal with all the locks in our favour as far as Thrupp where we stopped to talk with Bones and Maffi who has his leg plastered from toe to knee. All the visitor mooring were full in Thrupp so I had a word with the mooring Officer at the Thrupp Cruising Club and we are on one of there members moorings overnight as they are out cruising. We finally moored up at 5 30 but we spent over an hour chatting and sorting out this mooring spot.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Lechlade to Tadpole Bridge

Saturday

We set off at 9 am and arrived at St John's Lock just as the hired narrow boat we had seen wind earlier was tying up in the lock so we slid in beside him. The steerer had hired narrow boats on the canal before, but this was his first time on the river and he suggested we left first. As we made our way to Buscot Lock a day hire cruiser caught us up. It had a family of Hungarians onboard, it turned out that dad was a surgeon in Swindon and the others were over on holiday with him, when we arrived at the lock we found a very stumpy narrow boat already at the front of the lock. The lock keeper was very concerned about me coming in beside him as the lines of the vessel gave the appearance of it being wider than standard, the little cruiser came in behind him. It turned out it was also his first time out on his uncle's boat and he also invited me to leave first. So off I went followed by the cruiser, just prior to the next lock we passed a canoe with two men and a young lad in it. I went into the lock first then the cruiser, the canoe started unloading to carry it round the lock when the lock keeper invited them to come in with us, once in another narrow boat, this one from Napton appeared, so the lock keeper did a shuffle, moved the cruiser across in front of us, took the canoe to the front and brought the other narrow boat in behind him.. After this the cruiser, other narrow boat and us shared the locks until after  Rushey Lock as we stopped just through Tadpole bridge on The Trout moorings, we were expecting problems getting in but there was only one very nice slipper launch there. I went to the pub and made sure we were OK mooring there and booked a table for this evening. The Landlady said that last night the moorings were double moored and if the same happened to would I mind sharing, which of course is no problem. While I was there I thought I had best check that the beer was OK and took a couple of pints back to the boat. 
We expected the moorings to fill up rapidly during the afternoon as it was only 1 30 pm when we moored up, but as I write this at half five just one other boat has arrived, another narrow boat who has moored ahead of us where the slipper launch had been at lunchtime.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Newbridge to Lechlade

Friday

Last night we ate in The Maybush, both Diana and I had the pie from the specials and very good they were to. Each in an individual pie bowl and I would think home made with a dish of fresh vegetables which were also very nice.
This morning we pushed off at 9 30 am back up stream, just as I got the bows out a narrow boat came through the bridge heading in our direction so I pulled over to allow him to pass, we then followed him to Shifford Lock which was "self service" as the now replaced yellow signs say. Her we locked through together and both stopped for water, while we were here we assisted a skiff going down through the lock as they had never been through a lock before and their first one had no keeper.
We left the other boat to fill his tanks and headed off alone. The keeper at Rushey Lock asked where he had seen us before and we told him "here yesterday, when we came for a pumpout". Just as we left the lock the sky's opened for the next ten minutes or so, it was still raining lightly when we arrived at Radcot lock. We were still travelling alone when we entered Grafton Lock, here the keeper asked my to switch my engine off, the first one ever to do so when we have been the only boat in the lock. At Buscot lock there was a boat facing down stream moored right in the middle of the lock moorings having dinner. T he lady on board asked if we wanted to moor there, Diana told her it would help as we wanted to go through the lock. The reply was that there was another lock mooring near the lock, we pushed on and found a landing stage about 15 feet long by the lock entrance and two narrow boats waiting to exit the the lock so we just had to lay to and let them pass. The lock keeper had a good catch of Signal Cray Fish, I noticed that in his nets he had things like old dog bones and bottles three quarters full with water as well as whatever bate he was using, as we left the lock the keeper started to close the gates but I saw a cruiser approaching so tooted the horn, only for the cruiser to turn round and go back upstream where we shared St Johns lock with him. We are now moored about 200 yards down stream from the bridge in Lechlade close to the bank, we were moored further down with the bows about 3 foot out and the stern about 10 feet out, but we spotted a boat moving out from this decent mooring so we moved up and took his place, behind us is the boat we had seen on the Oxford Canal with the tortoise onboard. The owner has just had to hake up his temporary run and put him back on the boat as the young bullocks have just come into the field. Last time we were here mooring was free but it is now £4 a night.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Bablock Hythe to Newbridge

Thursday

A sunny start to the day and by quarter to ten we were away, we had planned to go to The Swan and Radcot tonight but one of the boaters moored nearby with a Swan jumper on suggested that we would be very lucky to get a mooring there,  so we revised our plan to stop overnight at the Maybush, Newbridge. From Bablock to Newbridge is not very far but as we needed a pumpout we had to go to Rushey lock which is probably another 7 miles and one lock upstream. The price of an EA pumpout has gone up from £6 to £8 but the equipment is well maintained and in first class order resulting in a good job. We stopped for lunch just above Rushey Lock and then winded for a leisurely cruise down stream again. There are yards of moorings just above The Maybush where the charge is £3 a night, but The Maybush has its own free moorings for its customers right outside the pub. Again there has been a lot of activity in the air, both fixed wing and helicopters.
As we pulled into the moorings outside the pub at 5 30 and the barman popped out to take our lines for us, this was useful as the river is quite weedy in the bay by their moorings and a fouled prop could mean drifting back into the bridge.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Oxford to Bablock Hythe

Wednesday

President started getting steam up some time before 8 which filled our back cabin with steam coal smoke. We gave them a good lead before we set off as we decided we would turn up the Oxford canal and then back to the Thames via Dukes Cut as this would give a bit more interest with narrow locks and lift bridges for Bethan, my grand daughter.We finally pushed off a few minutes after 10 am. after chatting with the Osney Lock Keeper who comes from Lowestoft.
Isis lock was not only empty but the bottom gate was open which made a good start to the canal. There is still no change at the old boat yard, all the no mooring buoys are still there and the green plywood fencing, I am surprised no one has tried to take possession of it again. I noticed that some of the Blackberries on the off side have changed black all ready, up until now we had only seen very young fruit. Passing under the A34 flyover I see that they have replaced the concrete beams that they were removing last time we came this way with steel ones, we were not delayed at all and a chap in hard hat and hi vis jacket even opened the lift bridge for us. At Dukes Cut we turned hard left and headed back to the Thames to continue our journey up stream. There was a 24 hour mooring free at Eynsham Lock so we pulled in  for lunch, once above the lock we stopped again to fill with water before heading off to our overnight mooring at Bablock Hythe where we tied up at about 4 pm.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Shillingford Bridge to Osney Bridge

Tuesday

For some unknown reason Magic was a right pain last night, wandering into the lounge and barking, I must have got up to him at least 6 times, I took him out twice. This is very unlike him, maybe he could smell something on the bank in the undergrowth.
We set off at quarter to ten, President had left just after 8 am. and needless to say it was raining. Traffic was much lighter today and we did several locks alone, which meant I could leave the engine running.  At Days lock we shared with a lady who was single handing and had come on from the K&A, She had a very good set of long lines running back along the roof which she informed me came from Lidl. We found President moored up in Abingdon so we pulled along side and I gave them a CD of the photos that I had taken of them yesterday.
As we passed under Isis Bridge about a mile down stream of Iffley Lock we were stoned by 4 little toe rags, but they soon departed as soon as they saw the camera come out. There were several spaces above Iffley Lock but we decided to push on and moor a bit further upstream, needless to say there were also places at Folly Bridge. We passed through Osney Lock and delivered the package from Caversham Lock, the relief keeper on duty didn't know anything about it, so I hope he passes it on to the regular chap. We have moored for the night a few hundred yards above the lock right opposite The Waterman Arms, we chose this spot as my grand daughter is joining us this evening for 2 day and it will be easy for her mum to find us here in the car, just put the post code of the pub into Tomtom.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Sonning to Shillingford Bridge

Monday

We said goodbye to our neighbours at about 10 am this morning as they were heading to Reading for a few days, we followed them up the river and passed them as they tried to get into different spots by the river. We pulled in at Tesco to do some shopping and some how they ended up tied on the outside of us again. About an hour later when Diana returned loaded down with bags we did a bit of a shuffle. We left to carry on up stream and they pulled in against the bank. While all this was going on I spotted nb. Water Witch going by. Years ago we owned a share in this boat and David and Chris, fellow shares still own the whole boat.

We caught up with them at Caversham lock, but not before a hire cruiser tried to overtake me on the bend approaching the lock, only to meet another cruiser and a Narrowboat coming down stream, so he had to drop back inline.  I held Harnser while Diana went to the lock to talk to Dave and Chris, at the same time she agreed to deliver a package from the lock to the lock keeper at Oxford, the strange thing is we have done this service before but in the opposite direction.

We passed Water Witch by Reading Marine and spent a bit of time going along side by side chatting, as luck would have it there was room for both of us in Maple Durham, after this we bid our farewells and headed on without them.
As we left Goring lock I pulled over to the landing stage so that Diana could walk back to below the lock to dump the rubbish, while I was here a small electric day boat shot out from above the weir and headed up stream. When we arrived at the next lock the Narrowboat we had shared Goring lock with was still waiting below the lock but the electric launch had managed to get in the lock, but once in the lock managed to get his rear mooring rope round his prop. This caused some delay in him departing with the lock keeper minus his shirt laying on the lock side reaching down to the prop to unravel things. The end result was a kitchen knife to cut the line close to the prop so he could continue on his way and we could enter the lock.
As we locked up President and Kildare arrived below the lock breasted up. Once out of the lock we both pulled over for water and I was able to get some photos of President steaming into and out of the lock. Once filled with water we continued on our way and much to my surprise we caught up with President, more photos as she piled the coal on as she steamed up stream ahead of us, I then over took her, the first time I have ever done that, its usually a case of when you get behind President you stay there until one of you stops for the night. When we got to Wallingford Bridge I eased off so she could catch up and I could get a few more photos, I then let them pass me and we followed them to Benson lock where they locked up ahead of us. The next time we saw them they were moored just above Shillingford bridge, in the trees and we moored about a 100 yards further on. By now it was gone 7 30 pm. Outside the Shillingford Bridge Hotel some of the cruiser owners were worried about catching the dreaded mooring rope virus and the end boat was occupying some 150 feet of mooring, the next one along must have had the best part of 30 feet between him and the next boat. A cruiser arrived just ahead of us and they refused to move along and let him in.  Later in the evening when we were returning from walking the dog  in the failing light a chap in a suit from the hotel was collecting mooring fees from them when 3 hire cruisers with French crews onboard arrived and tried to moor, Even the suited gent couldn't get them to move closer.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Henley to Sonning Lock

Sunday

We spent most of the day visiting the Traditional Boat Rally  just down stream but actually north of the town on Fawley Meadow. It was a good show with lots of boats from the Dunkirk Little Ships fleet , several steam boats including President, some very nice slipper launches and lots of highly varnished wooden boats. On land there was a good collection of boat jumble stands and stalls selling things like fenders, lifejackets, waterproof jackets, deck shoes etc. one stand even had an inflatable dingy with ores, and pump, brand new for £10. Mind you I would not have risked crossing the Thames in it. The weather was kind to them this morning, but after lunch we had some very sharp, squally, heavy rain showers, they only last a few minutes but if you wee caught out in them you got wet.

Our mooring fee covered us until 3 pm this afternoon and we arrived back at Harnser at about quarter to and pushed off dead on 3 pm. We had to wait at Marsh lock but after that we were ok until Sonning Lock where the owner of the "wide" narrow boat convinced the lock keeper we would not get in beside him, the lock is 17' 11" wide. Mind you he did have about a foot of fenders down the sides so it may have been tight. We waited for the next locking with a small yacht with no mast. The lock keeper checked our length and said there was a Salter Steamer behind, so could we go right to the front of the lock. The Salter boat got in behind us, but had to pull his bow to one side, I hate to think if we had have been a plastic. Once clear of the lock we moored for the night with the stern about 5 feet from the bank, the little yacht is moored on the outside of us as he draws one meter with bilge keels and could not get anywhere near the bank.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Beale Park to Henley

Saturday

We left the moorings at about 20 to 9 this morning, just right to catch the first lock at 9 am when they opened for business. A hire boat pulled into the waiting area behind me but managed to do a 180 turn as he tied up leading the next boat to think he had just come out and sailed straight into the lock behind us. The day has been fine with a bit of sun this morning but generally cloudy this afternoon. We have seen an awful lot of canoes about and a few more cruisers, being the weekend we expected to see a lot more, but overall things are quite quiet. Above Reading I could hear a steam train approaching, the railway is only a few yards from the river, but because of the location I was unable to see it for the trees, a little later and it would have made a good photograph. We had to queue for a couple of locks because there is no consistency in their size, you pass through one lock that will take 4 or 5 boats with ease and the next your down to 2, our longest wait was above Marsh lock, just above Henley. Once through the lock we continued down stream under the bridge and through the length of the regatta course which is reserved for the racing sculls during regatta week, The area to the east of the course is reserved for the boats exhibiting at the Traditional Boat Rally once we reached Temple Island we turned and retraced our steps back past the rally site, we received a toot from President's steam whistle as we passed and I replied with a blast on the horn. We continued upstream through the bridge and have moored for the night opposite the Henley Rowing and River Museum at 1530 hrs. Moorings here are free from 10 am to 3 pm but then £8 50 a night. It works on a pay and display system and you buy your ticket from the carpark pay and display machine. I don't know how well they police it but walking the dog I would say that only 20% are displaying a valid ticket or any ticket at all.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Heyford to Iffley Lock, R. Thames

Thursday

We set off at 7 15 this morning, no queues for us today, but we did meet a steady stream of boats coming the other way. Approaching Pigeon lock the farm shop boat looks to have closed down, I do hope they didn't have stock or money stolen, the last time we visited there was no sign of life, just help yourself and leave money in the honesty box which contained a number of £20 notes. They are still running the Tea shop on a Sunday but you have to walk there from the lock. Just on from here the reed growth is almost as bad as down the Aylesbury Arm with a channel about 14 foot wide down the middle.
  At Bakers lock there was an Ownerships boat waiting to come up as we left, but as he pushed the leaver forward all that happened was the engine revved up and no drive, however he sorted it as we rounded the bend on the junction. BW have replaced the bridge at Shipton Wear lock, there were two boats in the lock coming up onto the river and they had problems getting out of the lock. Mr. boater was telling Mrs. boater what to do, in the end she told him to come and do it himself.  Diana walked from the lock and lifter the next bridge for me, at the next bridge by the stop lock we met a BW short flat just through the bridge which caused a detoured into the bushes, I am sure that never use to happen before the repaint and then we met a hire boat right on the bend between all the moored boats.
As we approached the lift bridge at Thrupp two people sitting on the seat nearby kindly opened it for us and also the boat coming there other so that saved letting Diana off and then picking her up again on the other side.We continued on through all the moorings, just pausing to give Bones a knock as we passed her boat. From here we continued meeting boats all the way to Dukes cut, even meeting one as we were about to leave Dukes Cut lock.

Dukes cut is very overgrown and the trees rub both sides of the cabin at times as the channel is so narrow, I expect this is the responsibility of EA and not BW, what is BW's problem is the state of the landing stage on the canal side of Dukes Lock where if you do need to get off the boat to work the lock you would be mad pressed to find safe ground to stand on in all the undergrowth. I feel a couple of e-mails coming on.

We entered Kings Lock on the Thames at 2 pm and bought a 14 day licence for £106 that is £54 cheaper that a 6 day licence. After paying our dues the lock keeper locked us down, by now we were sharing the lock with a couple and their dog, the dog didn't look at all impressed in an inflatable canoe. I suggested they leave the lock first as I would have to go below to start the engine. At this point the lady said" Will you keep a look out for our son. He is swimming down the river". When the gates opened they paddled out, I spoke to the lock keeper as I couldn't see anyone in the water ahead and he told me he had already rounded the next bend. I took it very steady as this stretch is very bendy, eventually we spotted the canoe and then the chaps head, he didn't even have the sense to wear an orange swimming hat going down the middle of the river, once they were all safely on the side I passed them and ward the boats leaving the next lock that he was ahead of them.
We carried on down the Thames planning to moor for the night just above Iffley lock, I took the long way through Oxford and came through the bridge just as a Salters Cruiser was setting off, so we followed him down the river, for some reason he pulled in under the road bridge and we passed him, as he tried to leave it was obvious he was hard aground on something, he tried pushing with a broom, jumping ashore from the bows with a rope, all to no avail. feeling sorry for him I turned round and offered him a tow, First I tried towing him backwards, to pull him off the same way as he went on, with no luck. I was a bit worried that I may pull his cleat off. Then I tried from the bow, slewing him out as well as pulling forward, eventually he started to move. saying he was very grateful was an understatement, I think he may have had mud on his face if one of their boats had been called to pull him off. We moored for the night at 4 45 pm outside what use to be the Isis pub. I am not sure what it is now but they serve wine, beer, buns and things during the day and just two choices in the evening and its all "whole food" I shall report on it tomorrow.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Cropredy to Lower Heyford

We heard the boats going by and considering yesterdays queues we thought we had best set off a bit earlier, so we were away at 9 15 am. we were still in a queue at every lock until mid afternoon but never more than 3 from the front.  The boat ahead of us had a tortoise on the roof, this set the old grey matter turning over. I had saved that tortoise from drowning at the AWCC 40 anniversary rally at the Black Buoy Cruising Club several years ago.  At Banbury I stopped for diesel at Sovereign Boats taking on 140 lts at 65p lt plus duty. Banbury was choker block and we slow slid down the middle of boats moored on both sides by Castle Quay shopping centre. Below the lock we passed our friends on "NB. Traivelic" they had passed us before we were up this morning and very shortly afterwards met 2 more on "NB Maximus" who were returning from a trip to Lechlade.

At Somerton Deep lock I inadvertently turned the lock in the face of an oncoming boat and they were sitting on the lock mooring. I helped the boat ahead of us through the lock, drawing the bottom paddles and opening the bottom gates, all the time looking down the cut for oncoming boats and saw nothing. Once the boat left the lock I closed the gates and turned the lock,  just as the lock was about full a young lady cam up to the bottom gates. They had been sitting below the lock all the time on the lock moorings hidden from view by the bridge. I have no idea why she didn't come up as the other boat left, but at least I was able to apologise to her.

Passing through Bourton Lock the lock cottage still looks very forlorn and un loved, I do hope the new owner has not taken on more than he can handle. Last time we came this way I contacted BW to tell them they had a breach just below Heyford Common Lock, this has now all been piled but they still have to get round to back filling the piling so the water is still being lost. At Aynho weir Lock BW are replacing the weir protection completely with new horizontal timbers and what looks like new steel piles, I wonder how much money would have been saved if they had carried out regular maintenance on the existing structure. At tow points on the canal trees have fallen into the water, these have been cut up but only partly removed just to make room for a narrow boat to pass by. There are major towing path works going on just prior to the aluminium lift bridge at Lower Heyford where several meters of towing path have slid into the canal requiring piling and dredging. We moored for the night at 1830 just trough the lift bridge and went to The Bell to eat.

So far this is the worst place I have experienced on the canal system for Vodafone reception, it is even worse than Braunston and even with the aerial I could get just 1 bar on the signal indicator, sometimes dropping to zero. The 3 dongle is on the TV mast and just usable.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Fenny Compton to Cropredy

Tuesday

I now know why the boat who moved to let us in last night went forward and not back, the boat behind him had a built in generator that was running until 9 30 last night and was on again this morning before 7 am this morning and it wasn't the best silenced ,quiet running unit available either. I shall make sure I avoid mooring near him again.

To say the South Oxford was busy today would be an understatement. The first past us just before 7 am and there were several more before we left at 9 45 am. We met 10 boats in the first hour, 5 of them were in the Fenny tunnels, these are not real tunnels anymore as the tops were removed may years ago leaving just the narrow, straight channel with a wider section between them, but they still represent bit of a hold up at busy times do to the need to hold back to let oncoming boats pass. The tenth boat we met was "NB.Tysley" which belongs to the Micron theatre who are performing at Fenny Compton tonight. They needed the deep water even more than I did so we had to pass quite close. We arrived at the top of Claydon locks with just one boat ahead of us and several coming up so we only needed to turn one lock, at the bottom of the flight there was a short queue forming of boats waiting to come up. We were surprised to get to the next lock and find we were in a queue of 5 boats as we had only seen the one boat in the distance until now. Just as we approached Cropredy it decided to rain,hail and anything else it could think of.  By now some of the boats ahead of us had pulled over and moored up so we were able to go straight into the lock once the boat coming up had left, we dropped through the lock, still in poring rain and then pulled over to the service block on the right to dill with water. The weeping willow tree just before Cropredy Wharf Bridge is now in need of serious pruning as it covers the canal so well you can't see if anyone is approaching the bridge from the south.

Once filled with water the sun came out once more and things warmed up considerably as we pushed off to find a nice quiet mooring south of the village, we passed all the new moorings on the off side and pulled in against the piling just before Slat Mill Bridge No.156 at 3 30 in the afternoon.

Since we have been moored here there has been a steady flow of boats in both directions.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

The 3 mobile signal is not bad with the dongle up the TV mast

Stratford Photos

You can see some of the photos that I took on our trip to Stratford at

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/brian-and-di/sets/72157621340707992/

These are quite low resolution.

Napton to Fenny Compton

Monday 13 July

After a great weekend with my family, it was my son's birthday we returned to the boat this morning arriving a little before lunch. There was a continues stream of boats going up the flight so we decided that we may as well have lunch before setting off, a good move as then it started raining quite hard so we stayed to listen to the Archers. While we were on the moorings a hire boat turned the top lock  while a boat was beside us approaching it, he took it a lot more calmly than I would have and yes he did see him coming because he walked up the lock and looked, waited a couple of seconds then drew the bottom paddles.

We finally set off at 1430 hrs winding in the Engine Arm and heading up to Marston Doles locks, Just as we were leaving the bottom lock a boat came round the corner so we were able to leave the top gates but we arrived at the second lock just as the boat ahead entered the lock, so were delayed as they went up and we turned the lock. There were no more boats coming down so we closed up and moved on. Just after bridge 124 there were a couple of boats moored to the off side, I dropped right back to tick over to pass them and in the distance I heard a noise like a train roaring by, I was thinking there are no railways in the area and the noise was getting louder and louder, then a large 4 engined , turbo propped plane came over at about 100 feet from the ground and flew off into the distance. I don't know what it was as I can only identify the Spitfire and the Concord with any amount of certainty. We continued on in the rather windy but warm and sunny conditions. We passed friends moored by the Wormleighton aerial and spent a few minutes chatting before continuing on to Fenny Compton. There were a few moorings before the Wharf pub but we continued on past the pub where a boat was moored on the water point/ winding hole, following this things looked pretty full until we reached the junction between the 24 hr moorings and the 14 day mooring where a shortish boat was moored with about 30 feet ether end of him, a bit of gesticulation and he popped out and moved his boat forward so we could get in behind him, needless to say he was not on a new shiny boat. We moored for the night at about 1745 hrs.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

The 3 signal is very good here with the dongle just hanging in the back cabin.

Stratford to Napton

We  pushed off at 9 45 and headed off up the flight by ourselves but luckily all the locks were with us and we did it with easy in an hour, At the top lock a single boat was just coming out and I pointed out them that there was a boat following, in fact there were three, two were friends of ours and they pulled over to let the single boat go down to catch up with the boat ahead. We pulled over for a chat and a look round Clive and Rita's boat because we had not seen inside it before. We then headed up to the Calcutt 3 where 2 boats had just left the bottom lock, again giving us a good run, a boat was waiting in the top pound  to come down and a boat was coming down the top lock so they were also able to double for the remaining locks. Napton flight was very busy with boats coming down with up to 4 boats waiting above some locks, so again we had an easy trip back to our moorings where I did another oil and filter change. Checking the records the fuel filters are well over due for a change so I will take care of them next week after filling up with diesel as that makes bleeding a lot easier. We packed the boat up and headed down to see my son and family for the weekend. Back on line Monday

Stratford to Napton

Thursday

We set off by ourselves at 10 15 this morning, a boat had just come towards up but still the first lock was against us, form here the locking was pretty much in our favour and when we arrived at Bascote staircase two boats were leaving the bottom lock while another boater was filling the top to come down, we went straight into the bottom chamber and passed the down coming boat on the level, it only gets interesting when there are three boats in the lock and you have to shuffle round each other.

We stopped for a bite of lunch just before The Two Boats, Long Itchington, we were only stopped for about three quarters of an hour but were hard aground when we came to leave. A boat caught us up just prior to the Long Itchington Lock and we shared with him for two locks when we moored out side The Blue Lias for the night. We have seen 3 other Cutweb members today, Goody Two Shoes, Donatella and Virgo.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

The 3 mobile signal is a bit shaky even with the dongle up the TV mast

Stratford to Napton

Wednesday

A good meal of Fish and Chip was enjoyed in the Navigation pub last night with a pint of Directors, Fish and Chips come in two sizes and after consulting with the next table we also ordered small which was more than adequate. We also arranged with Paul on Waterways Routes that we would leave together between 9-30 and 10 am today so we could work down Hatton together.

We set off at 9 45 am in very light drizzle, this continued on and off all the way to Hatton when things improved, To start with all the locks were against us, but as Paul had a crew of 3 on his boat Diana went ahead setting the next 4 locks, it is surprising what a difference a 5th crew member makes to working this flight, We had a short spell where we met a few boats including a wide BW boat who were removing the undergrowth from the lock gates, if it was allowed to get any worse they would probably needed permission from English Nature to remove it. All these boats were in consecutive locks so it wasn't long before the locks were against us again. The weather held right to the second before last lock when it was coats on again for a short time.

Once down the flight Waterway Routes turned off into the Saltisford Arm for the night to get their strength up before heading back up the flight in the morning shooting a DVD as they go. We continued on alone until the top of the Cape pair where a boat was just setting the lock and we were able to join him, we did the two locks together before parting company with him tying up at The Moorings pub for the night. We continued on for a few more miles before mooring for the night at 1630 hrs opposite the church at Radford Semele. The church is still cocooned in white plastic and scaffolding following a fire some time ago.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Stratford to Napton

We decided that 9 30 am would be a good time to start today, as it would allow all the boats waiting below the next lock to get away. The first boat we  heard leave this morning was at 7 am. but I sure that some of them must have left much earlier. When we set off all the other boats that were moored around us last night had left except the two behind us and one of them pushed off ten minutes earlier. Our timing was spot on and we arrived at the next lock just as the last one waiting was about to enter the lock and the boat that left after us arrived a few minutes later, this was the chap I fished out yesterday. When it was our turn to enter the lock I started to move forward and just had the bows in the lock mouth when there was a clatter and I lost all drive, forward and reverse. Something had jammed the propeller.  I pulled Harnser back onto the lock moorings and let the boat following have our lock, opened the weed hatch and found a piece of hard, waterlogged timber wedged between the tip of the propeller and the base plate with the blade almost vertical. It took several minutes with the mooring hammer to to drive the propeller backwards to release it, I hate to think how much I have burred the leading edge bashing it with a steel lump hammer.

Once it was clear we entered the lock and inspected the good work that BW had carried out the day before as we locked up. We arrived at Preston Bagot lock to find a short queue ahead of us and I had trouble explaining to the hire boat that came up a little later that he needed to pull in behind me. From here we would catch up with the boat ahead at every lock. The weather so far had been very variable with sun and showers but from here on they started to get heavier. Our plan was to stop just before Lowsonford and fill up with water, but we found out from the boat ahead that 3 others also planned to do the same thing,  in which case we would take on water at Kingswood junction.  Just as we were approaching the water point we could see that the third boat in the queue for the locks was packing his hose away and we tucked in behind him as he drew forward in the queue.  At this point the sky's opened, with thunder and lightning and for several minutes we were in torrential rain. The boat that pulled up behind us tied to a moored boat and went below, by the time the rain eased and the 2 boats at the front of the queue had gone through the lock our water tank was full. The boat behind were still below and we still had our place in the queue. The power cables leading to the Fleur De Lys looked like a large welding set where they ran by the trees with some really loud noises being produced, as we passed the pub looked to be in darkness so I am guessing that the breaker for the supply line had tripped, it should have done. Several of the boats that were ahead of us stopped at the pub, two in particular, who were travelling together so helped each other through every lock and consequently took twice as long as a single boat. We carried on to Kingswood Junction where we turned right onto the Grand Union canal, we then reversed about 300 yards up the canal to moor for the night and visit The Navigation pub to eat. We are moored behind NB Waterway Routes who produce the canal DVDs.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route