As the map on the “What’s New” page is getting complicated I have added, where possible, individual weekly mooring maps
Monday, and as our mums did before us, we thought it was time to do the laundry. We had researched local establishments and was pleased to find one around four miles or so from our current mooring. I rang to check it was still a launderette as so many are going over to laundry service with self service no longer being available. Self service WAS still available - Hurrahhhhhhh They were so busy they suggested we go another day - Booooooooo.
We took a walk into Banbury instead and went looking for the Banbury Cross which we found but we totally failed to find the statue of the fine lady on her fine horse even though it was just yards away from the cross - Oh well perhaps we’ll have another look on our way back.
We had another go at the laundry today (Tuesday) we thought we had fallen at the first hurdle - the first taxi company we phoned didn’t answer and the second simply announced they were far too busy to taxi us about. Eventually getting through to the original company we had tried they sent a cab that arrived within 15 minutes and whisked us off to the laundrette in almost no time at all. The laundrette was still very busy but we soon had our washing split between two machines and swishing away nicely. Just 30 minutes later and everything was in the drier.
We were soon in another cab being taken back to the boat. The cabbie was very chatty and told us we hadn’t needed to get cabs to go where we had but could have walked to a laundrette much closer to the boat. We understood that the place he was suggesting was a service wash only but we will check as we return in a week or two.
All good things must end and today (Wednesday) we upped and left the mooring at Banbury with everything you could possibly want close to hand and set off again towards Oxford. we didn’t go far, just six miles and we didn’t go through many locks, just four, although we went through ten lift bridges all were open. A great highlight of the day for me was spotting a kingfisher flying down the canal, unmistakable in it’s bright blue and orange plumage flying rapidly, low over the water hunting fish.
The third lock of the day, Nell Bridge Lock, took us on to a section of the canal crossed at a weir by the River Cherwell and as such is subject to flooding in times of heavy rain when the Nell Bridge, low and claustrophobic at the best of times can be reduced by flood water to 4’-11” (1.4m) or less headroom, the next lock separates the weir section from the normal canal and it is a strange diamond shaped affair that is presumably designed for the different water levels it has to contend with as it has a “normal” drop of just 8.1/2”. Whatever the reason for the shape it is a pig to get the boat to sit quietly while filling or emptying.
Aynho Weir Lock is diamond shaped and awkward.
We have moored on the very last bit of armco available. Our boat handling must be improving as the gap between boats we claimed was around 60’ and as we are 52’ I thought we did pretty well to get in. The secret, I think, is to back the boat in. When the back is almost touching the mooring stop the boat, it should be roughly as close to the boat behind as you want to get. You can now gently pull the front in and if the space turns out to be too small to accommodate you, you are in a perfect position to climb aboard and motor away. Well that’s the theory.
Today (Thursday) we got ready to move quite early as we wanted to get diesel, gas and water at Aynho Wharf a short distance from our mooring. As we prepared to leave I noticed a boat in front of us rushing to get under way. I asked if they were planning to use the water point and if so how long might they be. Yes was the answer but we will be there no more than about twenty minutes. I replied that we would wait 30 minutes before leaving. Around 40 minutes later we arrived at the water point only to find them still there. They had pulled forward as far as possible and did take our centre line to help us into the space they had left. Pity it was shorter than our boat but never mind we managed. What did tick me off a bit, however, was the fact that after filling with water they had prepared and eaten their breakfast then bought coffee from a mobile "posh coffee" seller after having got out garden chairs in which to sit while drinking it. They wern’t even shamed into moving when three other boats arrived looking to use the services.
After filling with 81.5 litres of diesel (£1.09 a litre, hurrahhhhhh for red diesel) we have to self declare how much is to be used for propulsion which attracts all the taxes and heating, hot water etc that doesn’t. The standard ratio is (apparently) 60/40 or 70/30 and on this occation I chose 70% heating and 30% propulsion and getting a new 13kg gas refill we set off on our days journey. We had planned to go to Lower Haywood, a cruise of about 5 or 6 miles and three locks. However around a half mile on we saw a fabulous mooring and decided to stop for a day or two.
I should perhaps say a little more about diesel. We last filled up on the 14th July since when we have done 74.25 engine hours so the 81.5 litres I bought today equates to around 1.1 litres per hour while the total cost of £89.16 for a months cruising! (approx £25.00 per week) a bit different from when I was putting around £100.00 of diesel a week in the car. However if I then state that the 81.1/2 litres equates to 1.2 litres per mile or 5.5 miles per gallon it doesn’t look quite so good!!!
After we stopped yesterday I started to sort an item that had long been on the “to do” list. When we bought RoJo the heating header tank was leaking and replaced but the replacement was not an exact replacement so the pipework was altered. Uncle David made an aluminium box to protect the pipework from clumsy feet (mine) but I had never got round to fixing it.
I’ve cleaned any rust spots from within the box area, soaked them in Fertan, a rust convertor, and this morning, Friday, I have washed of the Fertan and as I don’t have any light grey paint have temporarily covered any bare metal with Red Oxide paint and when that was dry bolted the box into place. Another job jobbed.
Saturday dawned much brighter and calmer than expected so we decided move, even if only a short distance. We thought Lower Heyford at around 3 hours distant, transiting three locks and 1 normally closed lift bridge would be ideal.
Setting off at nine o’clock the sky was grey and overcast. Our first obstacle was Somerton Deep Lock which with a drop of 12 feet vies with Tardebigge as the deepest narrow lock on the system.I had intended to add a YouTube video of my own here but it was such rubbish I have added one by another “boat tuber”, OK he was going the oposite way to us but his video is far, far better than mine.
Despite the 12 feet drop this lock was not particularly difficult and we were soon through and moving on to the next lock. This cruise was the prettiest of the entire trip and we were almost sorry when Lower Heyford was reached and we got on the 14 day visitor moorings just outside the village. We plan to stay here for a couple of days perhaps even having a meal in the local pub.
We had a lay-in till nearly 9.00 Sunday morning. Well why not? We weren’t going anywhere. Well not until we looked out at the glorious day, we felt we could not waste such a day and at 10.40 we set off for a two lock, 4 mile cruise. A fabulous cruise slightly spoiled by the lack of decent moorings where we had planned to stop, we were rather too close to the Pigeon Lock landing but another boat still managed to crowbar itself in front of us and a Yoghurt Pot (fibreglass cruiser) squeezed itself between us and the boat behind us.
This week we have added 13 engine hours, passed trough 9 locks and travelled 16.1/2 miles.