Penton Hook >- London Canal Museum -> Cowley ->

[nbtafelberg]

Well, here goes our voyage on holiday.

 

Itenery:-

 

Friday (TODAY) - Penton Hook -> Teddington Tidal Lock

Saturday - Teddington Tidal Lock (THAMES) to Limehouse - London Canal Museum

Sunday - 10 - 4pm Paul Painting Roses & Castles at London Canal Museum (see www.rosesandcastles.org.uk)

Monday - London Canal Museum -> Cowley / Uxbridge boat centre below Cowley Lock or above

Tuesday - REST & Painting boat

Wednesday -> NOt sure now but we do need to get home agains some time....

 

I will be hoping to photograph Tower bridge from the UNDERSIDE as we go past it.

[nbtafelberg]

Ok lets catch up

 

We arrived at Teddington Friday night, quite an uneventful trip except being hit by a plasticator in a lock that quite frankly should not have been on the River, it was a Hire Boater from Chertsey Meads Marine who had NO IDEA at all how to manage his boat.

 

Chris - our Crew was a little bit (just a bit) put out when the Thames Lock Keeper explained the only time we could go through was...get this.. 4:30 AM!!!!! His face was a picture - (he's only 17)

 

We took Tafelberg through the lock which incedentally had both of its end gates open because the tide was in and had pushed the front gates.

 

We chugged down to Brentford (familiar territory!) and then on to London City and through past the London Eye, Houses of Parliment.

 

This journey is not for the faint hearted, some of the currents are amazing and the Thames just gets bigger and bigger and rougher and rougher.

 

Superb trip though until Limehouse cut.

 

When we got there we tried to turn the boat into the cut but the flow was very fast in the Thames, this meant that I had to wedge the boat against the protective wood boards in the cut to get in as the stern was still being pushed round by the outgoing tide.

 

The LImehouse lock is HUGE.

 

Despite advice from the Lock Keeper instead of heading into the Regents canal I drove straight towards a winding hole in Limehouse basin.

 

The Lock Keepers at Lime house do seem amazingly posh.

 

Anyway - got on the The Regents Canal, the first few miles were terrible, theres really bad weed in it which jammed up my prop no end including a very nice bit of metal.

 

Once I was past the junction that heads down the the Lee Navigation (I think) it all cleared up.

 

So I guess theres not a lot of boaters using that stretch of water.

 

We moored up by Victoria Park and met a nice guy called Dave who was going to live on a boat. After an hours chat and a guided tour he went on his way and so did we.

 

We moored up out side a "PUB" called the Narrow Boat in Islington which was actually a trendy sort of bar and was unsuitable for children, and narrow boaters who had been driving their boat since 4:30 am and were covered in river stuff.

 

Anyway - Pulled away from there and went through the Islington Tunnel. WOW its much longer than it seems.

 

I was nearly through when a Trip boat headed into the tunnel, despite our honking and shouting he just carried on and smashed into Tafelberg pushing her to the side and damaging the chimney. It's James Cruises.

 

He did apologise and "made out" he didn't know it was single passage only. How could that be, I was so Irate by the time I came out of the Tunnel I rang BW emergency line.

 

Finally we arrived at the London Canal Museum, its Sunday now and Leah my eldest of 6 is up annoying the cat. I'll start painting Roses and Castles soon got some stools and half the boat to do.

 

Please do come and see us at the London Canal Museum as we will be here till Monday. But don't expect me to dress up, I'll be doing a demonstration from about 7:30 am to when I finish!

 

http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk

 

OK have a nice Sunday folks - more tomorrow when we leave for the Paddington Arm and Cowley.

 

Now, where do I get gas?

[nbtafelberg]

MONDAY 25th JULY

 

Left The museum this morning and did the whole paddington Arm/Regents canal it was MILES.

 

Enjoyed the first bit

Second bit was quite a long way with nothing but factories and rubbish

 

WEED HATCH - I've done it about 8 times in the last 2 days.

 

I'm definetly going to see if they have anything to help at Uxbridge Boat Centre tomorrow.

 

I'm looking to moor somewhere near cowley lock on the vistior moorg

[nbtafelberg]

Well here we are above Cowley Lock

27th July

 

 

I moored up and within 2 hours had a load of Roses and Castles painting for the boat next door!!!!

 

I've just completed a stool, its Wednesday morning and we are staying till Friday and going then.

 

I Just hope the weather gets better.

 

Anyway - say hello if you're around Cowley Lock