Now on the Thames.

4 Locks, 6½ miles, 2 lift bridges now moored at Oxford.
Total of 309 locks and 401 miles and 16 Tunnels and 6 lift bridges since 5th Nov 2006

After an early morning photo shoot and farewell to Vic and Sue it was next stop Oxford. On the way we stopped and watered up as we were venturing into unknown territory. Sue had given us a good idea on what to expect so we were not going totally blind.

The amount of unlicensed boats and old wrecks on this canal that wouldn’t have a bolters show of passing a BSS was absolutely astounding. If we can see them why can’t the authorities but as somebody said to us the local housing authority is probably as much to blame as BW because if they kick them off the cut the housing authority then has to house them and they don’t have enough rental properties.
The only boatyard on this last stretch of the Oxford canal, College cruisers wasn’t open so perhaps they don’t get much week-end business. By the time we reached Isis lock we had seen a few moorings but opted to carry on out onto the Thames and hopefully moor just below Osney bridge. We cruised slowly past but the place was full.

We carried on through Osney lock and moored just below that. Just before the lock keeper knocked off for the day we came back up through the lock and breasted up to n/b Formentera who we had met earlier at Roundham lock. They very kindly offered to allow us to breast up but this was only a temporary measure as a boat 2 up from us cast off and left so we moved up into the vacated mooring opposite this very attractive commercial building.

Dot has done her first Tesco home delivery order which is supposed to be here tomorrow between 11am and 1pm so we shall see how this works out.
For the next couple of weeks our style of operating will change as we are now on a flowing river. Going up stream will be OK but on the return trip we will be going with the flow so we will have to be on the ball as far as mooring and locking is concerned.
Kiwis, kiwi’s everywhere. We passed the two from Waiheke Island on Muddy Waters yesterday, we had been forewarned about them and this evening a group of six arrived and asked where we were from. Two of them were from Wanganui, two from Lower Hutt and the others Australian. We can’t get away from them. We are proud to fly our flag which attracts them anyway.