Swinford to Newbridge

We have not been connected to the internet for the last 36 hrs as we have been in a Internet communications black spot at Newbridge. This blog therefore goes back to our morning of the 9^th at Stifford Lock.

While Christine went off to get her weekly fix of The Mail on Saturday at the Eynsham News store, I busied myself with taking advantage of last nights rain and cleaned the boat over with a chamois. After a cooked breakfast ( weekend treat after a week of muesli) we set off ever further up the Thames. I made a right hash of the next lock as we thought it was unattended and went to go for a centre rope only. Then the lock keeper appeared, as he hadn't started his lunch, I didn't hear that he said that if we were only going to use a centre rope we needed to be further back in the lock. Christine was shore-side at this time so I went and got the fore rope while she had the aft rope. We got through OK but it was not up to our usual standard of locking through. The lock keeper advised us to take an early mooring at Newbridge as they were forecasting that we would be getting the tail end of Hurricane Bertha on Sunday and it would be the safest place to be.

Now we come to the second faux pas of the day. We arrived in Newbridge with Christine on the helm I spotted a suitable mooring for 57' Lottie but Christine said there was no chance of berthing in that tight space. . As we sailed past it became apparent to her that the mooring was in fact double the length of the boat and she said ”Ooh we could have got in there never mind we can moor up the other side of the bridge”. The wind had got up a bit by this time and I offered some well meaning advice as to how to proceed. This was met with “I know what I'm doing and when I need you to take over I will ask” The wind then took us to the opposite bank into an overhang of willow trees which promptly ripped off the flagstaff again (I had only just repaired it) and we nearly lost the Satellite dish over the side as well. At this point Christine said “You can take it now” and promptly disappeared below. Needless to say there were a few heated words followed by a lot of silence. This made things very difficult when trying to moor up with stakes onto a grass bank.

Then we got a call from John and Barbara saying that we were only about 10 minutes away from them and would we care to join them and their Daughter and Son in Law for a meal. This we accepted gratefully and it also got us back on speaking terms.

We were collected from our mooring by John and family and had an enjoyable time at The Harcourt Arms. Thanks again John Barbara Jane and Chris.

Sunday 10^th

Still at Newbridge as the weather is still bad and not really conducive to travelling in a narrow boat

We managed to catch up on a few jobs ( monthly maintenance check) and clean through Cooked a batch of curry then generally relaxed on board. We can get a TV signal here at least so we will be watch a couple of programmes this evening

We should be able to set off tomorrow and when we get a suitable signal re - Wi -Fi I will publish this blog,

Trip to date

 

 

This was the first lock of the day Pinkhill another well kept lock n ote the 2007 flood level frightening.

You can just make out two boats abreast (bit late with the camera sorry) You couldn't do this on the canals.

Two Views of Newbridge despite it's name it is one of the oldest on the Thames 13 centurty

Our mooring at Newbridge where we stayed to let the bad weather pass ( better safe than sorry)




Not sure I would join her for an evening dip



The Rose Revived 
this is the name of the pub by the bridge and not a reference to Christine after a swift glass of wine
 

 

With John Barb Jane and Chris at the Harcourt Arms


 

Storm Clouds gathering Sunday Afternoon