TRIP REPORTS

SUMMER & AUTUMN 2003
The Thames and the Kennet & Avon

Part 2 : more of the Thames, then we turn back again.

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We resume the story near Burcot, on the Thames.

I was a bit under the weather, so we started later than usual, at 09:42, as it needed me and Ian to retrieve the plank. It was yet another very hot day.

At the head of Abingdon lock we took on water then continued to the Waterman's Arms at Osney where we tied up at 15:37. Ian left, to go to work the next day. As he was leaving, Brian & Di Holt appeared on Harnser from upstream. They tied up for a long chat and recommended The Perch at Binsey, where they'd lunched earlier in the day. They weren't going to the GIG, as they were going on the Basingstoke with the Woodings. But the Basingstoke was closed, so they weren't sure quite what they would do.

We fancied eating at a pub and decided to stay & eat at the Waterman's Arms. In the pub garden we got to know a couple from another boat with two standard poodles. The street along the moorings was pleasant, with Christopher-Robin-type children playing in it. The pub was disappointing - the landlords had expected to move last week and it had been postponed after they'd already run down stocks. Mandy made a number of unsuccessful tries to climb a large willow tree. Tilly stayed inside.

We set off at 09:33. We needed an out-&-back day, so we planned to dine at The Perch at Binsey. Wendy was dubious when we passed it, as the landing stage looked a bit derelict. Just before Osney bridge, we saw Guy & Connie on Thorn & Persephone. They said several other Cutwebbers were half a day behind.

About ¾ mile before Bablock Hythe we decided it was time to wind and head back. As we approached King's Lock, a policeman asked us to ferry him across to the far side of the weir stream to investigate a report of somebody lying, possibly injured, in the bushes. We dropped him on a boat moored on the side he wanted.

As we were winding after this incident, a group of Cutweb boats appeared from Duke's Cut - Stan Voets single-handing Blue Heron while Judy crewed with Sandy Dorward on Zephyr, John & Gill Watson on Tam Lin and Andy & Wendy Dyke on Lord Toulouse. They fell in with our idea of dining at The Perch, and we all arrived there at 15:53. The jetty was better than it had looked from a distance and we all moored up on it. The pub was up a pleasantly wooded path, and we all had a good meal in the garden. Both cats were back on board by 23:00.

10:13 was a later start than hoped as Andy & Wendy Dyke (on the outside mooring) are "not morning people". The plan was to stop for services and shopping in Abingdon, then go on to find somewhere to barbecue. Above Abingdon lock we all stopped and took turns to fill up with water and use the pump-out. We were the last to do so. Next we all stopped opposite Abingdon rec. ground to do some shopping, except Lord Toulouse who went to find a suitable barbecue spot. We were joined by Neil Arlidge in Earnest.

We discussed whether to stay here overnight, and the argument was won by those who felt it would be churlish not to go and join Lord Toulouse, as they'd made the effort to find a barbecue venue. We joined them in Culham Reach at 19:00 and rafted up in two tiers for a barbecue alongside a recently-ploughed field. We were joined by Jan Mable single-handing Weyfly. The rest of the family were to join her at the GIG. We all joined forces for a really enjoyable barbecue, after which Jan set of to meet her daughter and boyfriend at the station and bring them back to the boat. The cats had a fine time exploring the field. Mandy brought Tilly back to the boat at about 05:00.