Chalice Is On Her Travels Again!

[alan_fincher]

After a delayed start, we set off early afternoon on our latest boating adventure, heading North up the Grand Union from Tring summit.

 

Nice to share a few locks with "Water Rat", Julie (and Barry) and boat "Jade P".

 

Our current plan is to do the Thames Ring, (anti-clockwise, obviously).

 

It will be fairly intensive, I suspect, but hard to predict where we will be when.

 

We will keep an eye out for forum members, (and stolen boats), so please say hello if you see us.

 

According to CanalPlanAC, the earliest we are likely to be anywhere is.....

 

Friday 3rd – Grand Union - Cosgrove

Saturday 4th - Grand Union – Buckby

Sunday 5th - Oxford - Wormleighton

Monday 6th - Oxford - Banbury

Tuesday 7th - Oxford – Shipton

Wednesday 8th - Thames - Culham

Thursday 9th - Thames – Kennet Mouth

Friday 10th - Thames - Maidenhead

Saturday 11th - Thames - Sunbury

Sunday 12th - Grand Union - Cowley

Monday 13th - Grand Union – Kings Langley

Tuesday 14th - Grand Union - CowRoast

 

But I suspect we will take it rather more leisurely than that!

 

I'll hand over to Cath, to let her do a proper blog for today.

 

Alan, (& Cath & David)

[Bullfrog]

Bon Voyage, Alan and Cath

 

from Ann and David

[Nightwatch]

Hi Alan & Cath

 

Here's hoping you have a safe and enjoyable trip/cruise.

 

May see you between Fenny compton and Banbury if we get away as planned.

 

Martyn & Margaret

[David Schweizer]

Unless you are running late we will miss you again Alan, we plan to set off on Monday afternoon from Napton Junction, in the opposite direction, but we will be taking it much more easily, my time of ten hour days have ended now.

 

We do usually have some sort of plan, but often if we see a nice moorring spot a bit earlier than planned, we stop anyway. Enjoy your trip.

Edited April 3, 2009 by David Schweizer

[churchward]

Have a Good trip. I will be on our boat on Sunday so will keep an eye out at Wigrams/Napton.

[NB Alnwick]

We will keep an eye out for forum members, (and stolen boats), so please say hello if you see us.

 

No chance! At the schedule you are planning on keeping, there won't even be time to wave as you fly past . . .

[LEO]

Hi,

 

Have a good trip, hope all goes well, look forward to the blog.

 

Leo.

[alan_fincher]

No chance! At the schedule you are planning on keeping, there won't even be time to wave as you fly past . . .

:lol:

 

Actually we are not that manic.

 

That's what CanalPlanAC says we could achieve if we push on, but we haven't got to be that quick.

 

Anyway, it's only 11:00, (a.m.!), now, and we are moored up at the moment - so we do stop!

 

I'm told we are not allowed to stop at Cosgrove again, ever, though. I'd forgotten it had the noisiest ducks I think we have ever encountered. Need to plan for somewhere else tonight!

 

The problem with us and leisurely schedules is that we are limited to school holidays only - so if we want to go places we have not been in ages, (both of us last did the Oxford about 40 years ago), or have never been (the Thames), then we do have to press on a bit to achieve it. If I had the time,I'd handle it more like David.

[Nightwatch]

The noisiest ducks I have heard are the ones that mass in Hungerford.

 

Martyn

[Neil@CanalVoyagers]

It also depends on the time of year - they're all getting frisky at the moment so anywhere they collect in large numbers will be noisy.

[Keeping Up]

I'm told we are not allowed to stop at Cosgrove again, ever, though. I'd forgotten it had the noisiest ducks I think we have ever encountered. Need to plan for somewhere else tonight!

So where did you decide to stop tonight?

 

Good to see you today BTW, thanks for the coffee and cakes. How was Fenny swing bridge?

[alan_fincher]

So where did you decide to stop tonight?

 

Good to see you today BTW, thanks for the coffee and cakes. How was Fenny swing bridge?

Yes, nice to find you "at home" on Keeping Up, Allan.

 

We are near the Navigation Inn at Thrupp Wharf, (I'm having great problems convincing CanalPlanAC that there is a Thrupp on the GU, as well as on the Oxford!).

 

My lock crew didn't seem to have too many problems with the Fenny bridge, but we were a bit bemused by the boat leaving the lock southwards, as we pulled up for the sanitary station just before the lock. They asked if we were going into the lock, and did we want the gate left open. I said "yes", so they left the gate, but promptly put the swing bridge back across the lock.

 

I was also slightly surprised by the chap on a Wilderness trail boat, who decided to come on to the "new" road aqueduct at one end, at about the point I was already committed at the other. Whilst you could pass on it, it seems poor form, so I was forced to pull up very abruptly. Might have been an interesting test of steel versus plastic, I suppose!

[Keeping Up]

Yes, nice to find you "at home" on Keeping Up, Allan.

 

We are near the Navigation Inn at Thrupp Wharf, (I'm having great problems convincing CanalPlanAC that there is a Thrupp on the GU, as well as on the Oxford!).

 

My lock crew didn't seem to have too many problems with the Fenny bridge, but we were a bit bemused by the boat leaving the lock southwards, as we pulled up for the sanitary station just before the lock. They asked if we were going into the lock, and did we want the gate left open. I said "yes", so they left the gate, but promptly put the swing bridge back across the lock.

 

I was also slightly surprised by the chap on a Wilderness trail boat, who decided to come on to the "new" road aqueduct at one end, at about the point I was already committed at the other. Whilst you could pass on it, it seems poor form, so I was forced to pull up very abruptly. Might have been an interesting test of steel versus plastic, I suppose!

They probably had to put the swing bridge back to get their key out (most people are far too proprietorial to consider swapping keys with you).

 

I would definitely have continued onwards and passed the Wilderness on the aqueduct. It's always useful to have a nice big plastic fender to protect your blacking from the edge of the channel.

[Water Rat.]

Nice to share a few locks with "Water Rat", Julie (and Barry) and boat "Jade P".

 

 

 

Oooooh fame on the Forum!! Hope you are enjoying the trip. Did the reverse last summer and was surprised how pretty Milton Keynes was from the water. Have fun - we will all be watching your progress. Julie

BTW watch the sun - I got a bit pink yesterday

[Ray]

Good luck Alan. You must have followed us down Marsworth flight on Friday as we were coming back from the Lee & Stort. Went all the way there and back, had only about 20 locks in our favour (or so it seemed) and only shared Marsworth flight (in both directions) and the lock near Apsley with someone. Did all the rest ourselves. Hope you have better luck.

 

 

 

Edited to correct typos that I would have spotted if I'd proof read before posting!

Edited April 5, 2009 by Ray

[alan_fincher]

BTW watch the sun - I got a bit pink yesterday

Yep, so did we - or that's my excuse for a newly acquired red nose!

 

Good luck Alan. You must have followed us down Marsworth flight on Friday as we were coming back from the Lee & Stort. Went all the way there and back, had only about 20 locks in our favour (or so it seemed) and only shared Marsworth flight (in both directions) and the lock near Apsley with someone. Did all the rest ourselves. Hope you have better luck.

Well, if it's any consolation, Maffers was against us the whole way, so you were no worse off than had we not been down there.

 

We have done very little sharing so far, except up Whilton/Buckby. The latter was a god-send, as the fastening for the ring for the centre line sheared off half way up Stoke Bruerne. I had no idea how much I depend on a centre line, until we haven't got one - having someone to pin us in whilst going yp those deep Buckby locks was a blessing.

 

I was told I couldn't go into Braunston Tunnel, by OCM, as I'd be coming out in the dark, (she exaggerates!). So we are now moored looking at the Eastern portal whilst I receive complaints that the TV is unlikely to work!

 

We are ahead of schedule, but I think we'll be trying to see if anybody in Braunston can fit in a quick welding job!

 

Alan (& Cath & David)

[LEO]

Hi,

 

Good blog,

 

I find it's nice to join the Thames via Dukes Cut - you get a lovely view of Oxford across Port Meadow.

 

Best of luck hope you find a welder.

 

Leo.

[Bullfrog]

Good blog,

 

Yeah me too!

 

Well done Cath a joy to read as always.

 

Looking forward to seeing the rest of the trip.

 

Tried to comment on the blog itself but didn't seem to like my ID .

 

regards

 

David and Ann

Edited April 7, 2009 by Bullfrog

[Keeping Up]

I was told I couldn't go into Braunston Tunnel, by OCM, as I'd be coming out in the dark, (she exaggerates!).

Wow that could be dangerous. You could be travelling for miles before you realised that you'd finished the tunnel.

[alan_fincher]

Best of luck hope you find a welder.

 

Leo.

Thanks,

 

A welder was found. A chap called Justin did it, outside the "Braunston Boats" dock, after quite the rudest and surliest chap I have seen in a long while even refused to answer us, (have a nice day, sunshine!).

 

We are still at Fenny Compton, where we enjoyed a nice meal and beers last evening.

 

Despite the welding stop, this puts us ahead of the optimistic schedule at the head of this thread.

 

I'm surprised to be posting this, after I "dunked my dongle in the cut" last night, and it refused to work. The blessings of a solid fuel stove - it seems to have dried out OK!

[RLWP]

I'm surprised to be posting this, after I "dunked my dongle in the cut" last night, and it refused to work. The blessings of a solid fuel stove - it seems to have dried out OK!

 

I get some interesting spam that I could pass on to you if your dongle doesn't work. Or isn't big enough...

 

Richard

 

Surely it's still a bit cold to go dunking it in the cut!

[Catrin]

Tried to comment on the blog itself but didn't seem to like my ID .

OK, because other people have been able to comment I thought that the comment settings would allow anyone on the Forum - obviously not. So, I've changed the settings to allow all comments - I'll just have to see how this goes. If I start getting comments from insurance companies again (or worse!) then I'll have to change it back again.

Cheers

Cath

[Derek Porteous]

A welder was found. A chap called Justin did it, outside the "Braunston Boats" dock, after quite the rudest and surliest chap I have seen in a long while even refused to answer us, (have a nice day, sunshine!).

 

Hi Alan,

 

I am surprised here. We have had the bottom blacked a couple of times in Braunston. Each time we took the opportunity of getting some other work done the Free Time (full engine service and repair to central heating).

 

Each time Justin did the work. He was fine, did a good job at a reasonable rate and I would recommend him. There can't be two Justin's in Braunston, can there? Or perhaps it was something you said???????

 

Have a great trip.

 

Derek

 

Edit

On re-reading your post, I am now not convinced you were accusing Justin of being rude. Was this another chap before Justin arrived on the scene?

Edited April 8, 2009 by Derek Porteous

[Lady Muck]

Perhaps Justin was having a bad day or week - it happens to us all.

[Ray]

Think Alan said that Justin did it after - maybe there's a word or two missing - quite the rudest and surliest chap . . . .

 

Don't think he's saying that Justin was quite . . . .

 

But maybe I'm wrong.