Richard Shead
Slipped Anchor
So start off at Penton Hook do grab a month’s visitor licence and it does not go smoothly but that’s another story and is more to do with the folk in Reading giving duff info about which places take cards and which don’t. Still cash is king and I knew I would need a lot of it this weekend….
First time cruising the upper reaches in years, done a few work related things but this was proper cruising and proper relaxation.
My thoughts – firstly well the hell is everyone!!! I think we may have just got lucky but no traffic on the way up and none on the way back today.
Penton to Bourne End was pretty un eventful apart from French Brothers ignoring two boats and ploughed ahead straight into the lock, the lockie knew he had made a duff call but fell short of apologising, I know steamers need to make cash but this was a wrong call and the lockie knew it. Still meant I could crack another beer and he eventually apologised as we left the chamber.
Filled up with Petrol in Windsor, not a lot but seemed to have paid a lot for not a lot…then again we were dragging along two big thirsty lumps.
Moored up at Bourne End, plugged in and went to the Bounty for a pint, a shorter walk than I thought, we should have eaten here but we did not we went to the restaurant at Bourne End (OTT), I shall write my review in the restaurant section but we wont be going back. The evening was too nice to end so we went for a night cruise to the next lock. Again no one around!
Day two and to the Complete Angler where a large room and swanky lunch was in order. Cant fault either, food was amazing (lunch) as was the room. Unfortunately the wine flowed and we got peckish and went for a stroll to find Pizza in the eve.
Pizza Express full of kids and I mean full, so off to ZiZi who ignored us and served two people behind so we walked and this was the best decision all night, we went to The Chequers and this does deserve a mention….I am very fortunate to travel the world and many countries and restaurants are judged by the pre flight home cheese burger……THE best cheese burger I have ever had was in the Fontainebleau Miami, its been like that for three years (with many more consumed elsewhere and not coming close) that was until last night….. Amazing, again I shall post why later.
Still woke this morn to 400 mph winds, left the CA filled up at Bray once more and headed back in glorious sunshine, Thames cruising at its best as I quite like the wind as a bit of a challenge..
All in all an uneventful trip, not much has changed but I did find the lockies more friendly, the EA more visible and everyone just as friendly as before..(apart from the steamers…)
First time cruising the upper reaches in years, done a few work related things but this was proper cruising and proper relaxation.
My thoughts – firstly well the hell is everyone!!! I think we may have just got lucky but no traffic on the way up and none on the way back today.
Penton to Bourne End was pretty un eventful apart from French Brothers ignoring two boats and ploughed ahead straight into the lock, the lockie knew he had made a duff call but fell short of apologising, I know steamers need to make cash but this was a wrong call and the lockie knew it. Still meant I could crack another beer and he eventually apologised as we left the chamber.
Filled up with Petrol in Windsor, not a lot but seemed to have paid a lot for not a lot…then again we were dragging along two big thirsty lumps.
Moored up at Bourne End, plugged in and went to the Bounty for a pint, a shorter walk than I thought, we should have eaten here but we did not we went to the restaurant at Bourne End (OTT), I shall write my review in the restaurant section but we wont be going back. The evening was too nice to end so we went for a night cruise to the next lock. Again no one around!
Day two and to the Complete Angler where a large room and swanky lunch was in order. Cant fault either, food was amazing (lunch) as was the room. Unfortunately the wine flowed and we got peckish and went for a stroll to find Pizza in the eve.
Pizza Express full of kids and I mean full, so off to ZiZi who ignored us and served two people behind so we walked and this was the best decision all night, we went to The Chequers and this does deserve a mention….I am very fortunate to travel the world and many countries and restaurants are judged by the pre flight home cheese burger……THE best cheese burger I have ever had was in the Fontainebleau Miami, its been like that for three years (with many more consumed elsewhere and not coming close) that was until last night….. Amazing, again I shall post why later.
Still woke this morn to 400 mph winds, left the CA filled up at Bray once more and headed back in glorious sunshine, Thames cruising at its best as I quite like the wind as a bit of a challenge..
All in all an uneventful trip, not much has changed but I did find the lockies more friendly, the EA more visible and everyone just as friendly as before..(apart from the steamers…)
