Old Crusty
Well-known member
Yesterday was my last trip this year, in fact the first over an hour given lock down and self-isolation. Moved the boat down from Abingdon to Moulsford for winter lay up, servicing, anti-fouling, varnishing rubbing strakes and a good polish before she goes up for sale next spring. The river was sparkling with a billion diamonds as it does in sunshine, quite windy on some reaches with 9" to 12" wavelets.
Four locks, no duty keepers except at the last moment at Clifton when a relief turned up and assisted in his lunch hour (thanks Curtis). Just one Anglo-Welsh hire boat travelling down with us and an EA crane barge that hung up in Culham Lock (I said I wouldn't mention names). Saw two patrol boats (moored up, obviously), three sunken vessels tied to the bank, several navigation buoys out of position below Days Lock and Clifton Hampden Bridge and at least a dozen boats sporting EA unregistered notices in those very sticky plastic envelopes. The sunken boat above Benson Lock on the starboard side of the river has a red can port buoy on it, not the brightest deployment of such a mark that might confuse the inexperienced boater.
Four hours including the locks with the tail stream pushing us along at 11kph most of the time but still no visible wash. Joyful.
Four locks, no duty keepers except at the last moment at Clifton when a relief turned up and assisted in his lunch hour (thanks Curtis). Just one Anglo-Welsh hire boat travelling down with us and an EA crane barge that hung up in Culham Lock (I said I wouldn't mention names). Saw two patrol boats (moored up, obviously), three sunken vessels tied to the bank, several navigation buoys out of position below Days Lock and Clifton Hampden Bridge and at least a dozen boats sporting EA unregistered notices in those very sticky plastic envelopes. The sunken boat above Benson Lock on the starboard side of the river has a red can port buoy on it, not the brightest deployment of such a mark that might confuse the inexperienced boater.
Four hours including the locks with the tail stream pushing us along at 11kph most of the time but still no visible wash. Joyful.
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