Out of lockdown

Mark26

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17 Nov 2017
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Penton Hook
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At the end of September I cruised upstream from my home berth in Penton Hook, hoping to enjoy the autumn colours at Cliveden.
It started to rain and didn’t stop, the river went onto yellow boards and was only going to get worse, so we put into Bray Marina.
Unfortunately river conditions were still not good when lock-down started, so my boat has been in Bray Marina ever since.

Lock-down ends at midnight tonight, we are planning to escape from Bray first thing tomorrow morning (02/12/20) to return to Penton Hook,.
Yesterday the Environment Agency announced work at Old Windsor Lock with delays of up to 2hrs.
Better take plenty of tea bags and biscuits.
 

oldgit

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6 Nov 2001
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Medway
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Nice and sunney here at the moment , hope you have a nice trip back past Cliveden back to Penton.

Been out once or twice for short journeys , keeping in mind the COVID regs (at least those I can get a grip on) . Very enjoyable hour or two.
Not much change down here after 2nd as will be in Tier 3.
 

Ryanlion

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11 Sep 2020
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Have a Safe journey back. We found the staff at Bray very friendly and professional but when we went to Penton Hook Marina on a Saturday morning in September to view the Marina for a boat we were buying I went straight to the office and politely asked if it was okay to look around as I was buying a boat and the guy in the office was anything but polite and friendly (stocky, in his 60s), so that put us completely off even considering mooring there. All the staff at the other Marinas we visited were friendly and helpful, but perhaps the chap at Penton Hook thinks that being unfriendly to people who will potentially pay thousands a year to moor their boat without being allowed to view the marina first is how to attract new customers?
 

Outinthedinghy

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18 May 2008
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Limehouse hole or Cookham
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Nice and sunney here at the moment , hope you have a nice trip back past Cliveden back to Penton.

Its very pleasant at the moment up near Henley. River is back to almost normal.

Of course a trip from Bray to Penton does not include passing Cliveden unless you turn left first and turn around below Cookham lock.

Still definitely worth it if the extra time is available.
 

Mark26

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17 Nov 2017
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Penton Hook
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Have a Safe journey back. We found the staff at Bray very friendly and professional but when we went to Penton Hook Marina on a Saturday morning in September to view the Marina for a boat we were buying I went straight to the office and politely asked if it was okay to look around as I was buying a boat and the guy in the office was anything but polite and friendly (stocky, in his 60s), so that put us completely off even considering mooring there. All the staff at the other Marinas we visited were friendly and helpful, but perhaps the chap at Penton Hook thinks that being unfriendly to people who will potentially pay thousands a year to moor their boat without being allowed to view the marina first is how to attract new customers?
I’m sorry to hear you had a bad experience at Penton Hook. We’ve never had any problems and I guess everyone can have a bad day sometimes.

Yes the staff at Bray have always been very helpful and nice to us as well. I had my boat lifted during lock-down, just a quick survey lift while I dealt with a transponder problem. The guys at Bray craning were also very nice, polite, and helpful.

Did you buy a boat in the end ?
 

Ryanlion

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11 Sep 2020
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I’m sorry to hear you had a bad experience at Penton Hook. We’ve never had any problems and I guess everyone can have a bad day sometimes.

Yes the staff at Bray have always been very helpful and nice to us as well. I had my boat lifted during lock-down, just a quick survey lift while I dealt with a transponder problem. The guys at Bray craning were also very nice, polite, and helpful.

Did you buy a boat in the end ?

Sounds like our experience at Penton Hook was perhaps a case of wrong person wrong day and good to know that's not the norm there.

Yes we have a boat and we will be mooring at Bray so good to hear you had a positive experience there. We aren't mooring there until March but I've already booked it and left a deposit as marinas are quite popular along the Thames so I didn't want to take any chances. I also heard that Harleyford Marlow have sold some land and around 60 moorings will have to go in April next year. Harleyford have had a long waiting list for moorings so lots of owners will need to leave which I'm sure won't please them (the contract is only for 12 months to April so no come backs).
 
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