From toptrees@email.msn.com Mon May 3 18:17:09 1999 Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 22:42:24 -0000 From: Peter Waite Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: canalnews Subject: TRIP REPORT (PART 5) LONG OK I^Òll try to do better this time and put my pubs in the right places and not confuse the top of Napton with Fenny Compton, but you do get disoriented on that stretch of the South Oxford. DAY 7 Saturday 3 January 1998 Another cold, grey, windy morning. I was very slow to rise and we did not leave our moorings until 08:15. The Cherwell valley, on our left was very wet. The flooded fields and swiftly flowing streams gave me concerns about finishing the trip safely, especially after my brush with the bridge at Aynho Weir. Today we had a proper river section to traverse. By the time we passed through Dashwoods Lock at 09:30 there were a few patches of sunshine and the world was again looking a better place. We did not stop at the Rock of Gibraltar on this trip although it was much quieter than our previous visit, homeward bound with the previous boat in 1994. It was looking bleak and the wind was increasing as we approached Baker^Òs Lock. Nobody else was moving although there were plenty of people on the moored boats. I thought that I had better reconnoitre the river section whilst we were safe above. The current was swift but no faster than I could walk and when I reached Shipton weir there was another boat coming up. I asked them to leave the lock gates open and I would do the same at Baker^Òs on my way down. In the event my crew had stayed below and we did not have the lock ready for them, quite as they came steaming upstream at great speed. The trip was quite exciting with just a little swirl through the railway bridge. The entrance to the lock was no worse than Greenham on the Kennet at Newbury. Safely through and on to Thrupp where we could fill with water and other things at lunchtime. The crew were grateful for some help with the lift bridge at Thrupp. They had struggled manfully (and womanfully) with the ones above Thrupp. (Why did I not rush off to help and let Pip steer? She was rather concerned about steering in straight lines because of the gale trying to blow us sideways ^Ö quite interesting). I had difficulty keeping off the bank. It really was windy and I was worried about trees falling, several had fallen earlier, partially blocking the cut. At Dukes Lock we could see that the level in Dukes Cut was rather high so we rang the Osney Lock Keeper who told us (in his usual cheerful way ?) that there was no way we would make it down the Thames for several weeks! So we rang College Cruisers who welcomed us and provided a safe haven for what turned out to be 5 weeks. Benson Lock was closing on Monday 5 January and not re-opening until 8 February. We visited the boat every weekend and Eddie the builder came down from Derby to check the electrics. (He replaced a main switch which seems to have cured the problem with everything switching off when a load is applied!) Each week we went to look at the river under Osney Bridge and the weirs above Osney Lock. Slowly the water and current speed went down. One week Nuneaton appeared, tied perilously to a wall on the opposite bank. How did they get there? How did they stop in that current? Did they use reverse gear or an anchor? DAY 8 Saturday 7 February 1998 We^Òve come back to the water (apologies to Jeff)! And back to the car shuffle; we have left one car in Abingdon and the other we left at the boatyard in Oxford. We slipped out from the inside of two other boats at 10:30 and down to Isis (or Louse Lock). There was still a bit of wind blowing the boat sideways but not too much water. We were helped through the lock by a photographer, who was also writing a piece on Louse Lock for a local magazine but hope to have it published in a national waterways magazine, so you may see a picture of us and Jamyjosipipe. Below the lock there was still quite a strong stream coming through the old railway swing bridge, I do not think that we would have made it in the old boat. The main river only had a moderate current and the strong stream warnings had been taken down. We went cautiously around the bends, wisely as it turned out as eights were venturing above Osney Lock. The lock was set ready for us, gates open so we motored straight in. The lock keeper was moderately friendly (he has a certain reputation) and did phone ahead to the next lock, as most of the lockies do when there is not much traffic. This really speeds up the passage, and avoids the hassles of landing on the sometimes awkward lay-bys. As it was Saturday morning the reach below Folly Bridge was crowded with eights and other racing craft. Some of them knew what they were doing and that they should not turn immediately in front of a narrowboat. Other things have changed, there were some strangely shapely rowers out in one of my old college^Òs boats. Gadzooks sirs ^Ö female members of a Corpus Eight! They were rowing quite prettily too! Another eight drifted in front of us, were they listening to their coach or watching the fine Corpus eight? It was a relief to slip into Iffley Lock, just after 12:00. With the current we made good time and were through Sandford before lunch time. This was a good time to be passing the reach where Radley College have their boathouse and avoid huge numbers of schoolboy rowers. (We only saw one crew ^Ö another ladies eight). The weather was quite cheerful with reasonable amounts of sunshine but the wind was picking up with waves and white horses on the reach above Swift Ditch. We reached Abingdon Lock and moored just upstream for a late lunch. (Just being lazy really, we were waiting for the lock-keeper to come back on duty at about 14:00). We were pretending to fill up with water, but the tap was locked away. The lock-keeper came to offer to open it up ^Ö he was on a relief duty and it was one of the residents of the Blakes^Ò Lock cottages, who has always been one of the most helpful and friendly. (He is based at Blakes but frequently does reliefs elsewhere. In the spring he moves permanently to Marsh Lock, and the previous lock keeper there is moving upstream. We decided to moor just below Abingdon Bridge on the Council moorings (no charge until April). Apparently some boaters moor their narrowboats there for the winter. We left for home very early as we had to provide taxi services for the teenagers. DAY 9 Sunday 8 February 1998 Winter Sunday mornings are often spent watching junior rugby. This was a condition of getting a crew for the afternoon. It was ideal weather for rugby and not bad for being on the boat. More sunny intervals. We left Abingdon at about 13:40 with more ladies out rowing. We found the turning for Culham lock cut (easy Dave) but they have taken the big sign saying DANGER away from the pile in the middle of the river! I wonder how many hire boats will go the wrong way in the summer, when the sign to the lock cut, and bigger one to the pub are lost in foliage? At Culham lock we were joined by Catspaw II, another new boat (Inspection Launch style) owned by Emrys Barrell, heading towards Goring. He was borrowing a mooring from a friend, just above Benson Lock to await the completion of the extended repairs. We cruised together down to Clifton Hampden where he stopped for a very late lunch. We continued to Benson and investigated the state of the lock. We reversed into Benson Lock cut to investigate progress. Yes, with a bow thruster it really is possible to steer a narrow boat backwards. When we picked up speed the bow thruster was not necessary, just lots of muscle on the tiller. The lock did not appear finished, but the lock gates were on and the coffer dams removed, so we thought it would be OK for the next day. The crane has made a terrible mess of the lock-side and there is much to do on the flower beds. After about 45 minutes, Catspaw appeared and we found the right back garden wall to tie up to. DAY 10 Monday 9 February 1998 I was joined by two teenagers who arose before 9:00 so that we reached the boat by 10:00. We were not the first through Benson but saw very few people for the rest of the day, other than Catspaw. She stopped at her home mooring above Cleeve Lock and we carried on down to Whitchurch with the co-operative lock keepers phoning ahead so that all the locks opened for us. We passed NB Progress on her home mooring at the Grotto. Also saw the first Kingfisher of the year on the Thames. Pangbourne meadow was deserted so we could tie up close to the bridge and make our way quickly to the Greyhound just before last food orders. (The Ferry looks decidedly run down this year). Pip joined us for the final short trip to Caversham, at last taking charge of the tiller and bringing us through Mapledurham Lock. Another 40 minutes saw us at our home mooring. The overhanging tree seemed to have grown, or this boat is longer than the 60 feet I thought we had specified. I must get the tape measure out to check. The old boat was officially 59^Ò 4^Ô. Sadly packed everything away and left for home ^Ö 400 yards away! End of voyage Peter Waite At home: At work: toptrees@email.msn.com waitp@entecuk.co.uk Caversham & Entec UK NB Jamyjosipipe Safety & Environment Those who make a big splash have probably gone overboard