oldgit
Well-Known Member
Thames Saga 2011.Not quite as planned.
Ho Ho Ho...no chance ....Wind speed Sheerness today .
Just got back via BR.....Alarms go off around Chiswick,weed filters totally blocked,sorted that and boat now sitting in flipping South Dock waiting for high winds to push off.
More later.
What a cute little boat ....wonder who owns it ?
Friday dawns at RCC,ten boats head for West India Dock and forty for Burnham.
Dead calm as we all go under QE bridge and head up river.
First night in West India, Mr and Mrs Oldgit escape and head off up to Wapping High St and Il Bordillo,we emerge two bottles and 3 hours later only to find find the only black cab driver in London with only a rough idea where West India Dock is.We alight god knows where and spend 2 hours wandering aimlessly round until cab No2 takes us to The Gun.(A very very good pub )
After a few days,we lock out late and due to a canoe race plus some very stroppy rowers make Richmond,just,on a falling tide.
Meet up with B1 and his cute new boat and spend the night at Hampton court.Following day its off to Staines and its wonderful and exciting selection of Pound Shops.
Parked at posh mooring in Windsor(which sadly has no Pound shops at all)
Then up to the most wonderful marina in the entire known universe (MDL Bray) for some pub nosh with B1 and wife plus Mike Gates,followed by dinner at same pub during evening with Capt and crew of "Release".fortunately they both had to be somewhere else on following day so we were left in peace for trip back down towards civilization
Stop on way down at Runnymede to revisit a nifty little Italian up nearbye allyway(recommended but name escapes me)
Stop at Hampton Ct on way back and spot Bradtarga hogging best moorings so have to stay over just below lock.
Not looking good at all good wind wise so make a few plan B phone calls,how soon can we get out at Richmond and whats the latest South dock will let us in.
Just passing those mini oil rigs above Chiswick with a strong flood tide boosted by those winds and the blimming temp alarm cheerfully lets me know we have a problem.Manage to make somebodies private jetty.
Where do you start,time ebbing away.
The water strainers.It is chock full of weed/twigs/old leaves and takes a bread knife to empty the poxy thing.Lord knows what promopted me to check the other but same situation,how the engine was being cooled....no idea.we set off at a rate of knots.
By the time we get to Greenwich it is obvious we are going no further and call on ch37 for the lock at South dock to get us in ASAP.
In out of the waves ...get set to apologise to our two guests .....who promptly announce they have thorougly enjoyed evry second.
We adjourn to two pubs.
Met by unfailing cheerfulness and helpfulness in every pub/restuarant/lock(nearly got a wave from you know who) we went into.
Sarah T awaits collection and story to be be continued.................
Ho Ho Ho...no chance ....Wind speed Sheerness today .
Just got back via BR.....Alarms go off around Chiswick,weed filters totally blocked,sorted that and boat now sitting in flipping South Dock waiting for high winds to push off.
More later.
What a cute little boat ....wonder who owns it ?
Friday dawns at RCC,ten boats head for West India Dock and forty for Burnham.
Dead calm as we all go under QE bridge and head up river.
First night in West India, Mr and Mrs Oldgit escape and head off up to Wapping High St and Il Bordillo,we emerge two bottles and 3 hours later only to find find the only black cab driver in London with only a rough idea where West India Dock is.We alight god knows where and spend 2 hours wandering aimlessly round until cab No2 takes us to The Gun.(A very very good pub )
After a few days,we lock out late and due to a canoe race plus some very stroppy rowers make Richmond,just,on a falling tide.
Meet up with B1 and his cute new boat and spend the night at Hampton court.Following day its off to Staines and its wonderful and exciting selection of Pound Shops.
Parked at posh mooring in Windsor(which sadly has no Pound shops at all)
Then up to the most wonderful marina in the entire known universe (MDL Bray) for some pub nosh with B1 and wife plus Mike Gates,followed by dinner at same pub during evening with Capt and crew of "Release".fortunately they both had to be somewhere else on following day so we were left in peace for trip back down towards civilization
Stop on way down at Runnymede to revisit a nifty little Italian up nearbye allyway(recommended but name escapes me)
Stop at Hampton Ct on way back and spot Bradtarga hogging best moorings so have to stay over just below lock.
Not looking good at all good wind wise so make a few plan B phone calls,how soon can we get out at Richmond and whats the latest South dock will let us in.
Just passing those mini oil rigs above Chiswick with a strong flood tide boosted by those winds and the blimming temp alarm cheerfully lets me know we have a problem.Manage to make somebodies private jetty.
Where do you start,time ebbing away.
The water strainers.It is chock full of weed/twigs/old leaves and takes a bread knife to empty the poxy thing.Lord knows what promopted me to check the other but same situation,how the engine was being cooled....no idea.we set off at a rate of knots.
By the time we get to Greenwich it is obvious we are going no further and call on ch37 for the lock at South dock to get us in ASAP.
In out of the waves ...get set to apologise to our two guests .....who promptly announce they have thorougly enjoyed evry second.
We adjourn to two pubs.
Met by unfailing cheerfulness and helpfulness in every pub/restuarant/lock(nearly got a wave from you know who) we went into.
Sarah T awaits collection and story to be be continued.................
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