Left at 11:00
arrived at 14:30.
Bad night for me and Derek,
Charlotte late to sleep also, those dreaded gulls again!!! Up and at em for 9 20 though Charlotte and me went up town to get her some high heeled shoes Size
1, we called at Greggs and got some sausage rolls and cakes, Charl and Amelia
had the sausage rolls for breakfast, Derek and I had a cake with tea for a
snack. Amelia had an extra nap on our
bed whilst we went to town. We were at
the water point for 10 and were then going down the lock at 11ish with the
tide, Derek says it will give us a push to Tewksbury. Derek finally put the licence in the window,
so we are legal again. We filled the water, Amelia showered and Derek spoke to
the Lockie on the radio, wait 15 minutes or so as there is a boat coming up, so
it will be ready for us to go through. A
little cruiser and a large Nb came through the bridge whilst we were waiting,
NB Lorien, sounded like it had an old engine, it was traditionally pointed
green, red and yellow, about 60ft, it
was really nice. We went through the
bridge and moored on the wall just before the pontoons to wait for the boat to
come through the lock, “Edward Elgar” A hotel boat was the boat in question, it
was enormous!!! It looked quite majestic, everyone was on the top deck smiling
and waving at us, they looked to be enjoying themselves. In the lock we fastened our ropes round the
hawsers on the side of the lock walls, it went down a lot quicker then coming
up Im pleased to say. The Lockie warned
Derek that there was a tree in the water and to keep an eye out for it, we saw
two, one a full trunk and a large piece of trunk, it sailed straight by
us. There were however lots of floating
broken branches and chunks of wood but Derek managed to avoid them all. The water is really muddy and quite low,
there were little beaches at each side, we saw 3 kingfishers darting in and out
of the trees, always too quick to get a picture, boy are they quick. There does seem to be a distinct lack of water wild life, there
were some swallows dipping and diving over the very muddy water and butterflies
but by 12 20 we had only seen 1 lonely little duck. The fact that the water is so muddy and with
mud up about 2ft up the trees makes us feel like we are on the African Queen
going down a tropical stretch of water.
We had lunch on the way, we saw a bit more wild life, group of ducks, a
swan with 2 cygnets and quite surprisingly an Egret, it was small, also camera
shy, it kept flying off in front of us, too far away to get a snap. There was a skinny Grey (Mr) Heron, he was
walking up and down one of the beaches at the side looking a little down and
out, oh and a young cormorant diving for food, they really do stay down for a
very long time. We passed a few nice
pubs on the way with moorings on the waterside and a Caravan Park, the vans
where on stilts, I guess to try and be above the water when its in flood. Lilizan and Rosie NBs were just in front of
us, they set of 2 hours before us according to Derek but they were fastened
together using one engine, hence the slow movement. Lower Lode Hotel, was a lovely pub opposite
Cheltenham College Boat House, it had loads of lovely flags wafting merryily
along the slipway and lots of people out on the picnic tables enjoying their
lunch in the sunshine, there were of course boats moored along the edge of the
water to complete the picture.
Approaching Lode Lock the water
is flat calm, the back part is like an amphitheatre, it has steps at theside so
you can climb up if theres a problem and the gates are vast, its a commercial
lock, but as we are all by ourselves and everything is still it’s quite
serene. We only went up a foot or so, we were no sooner in
than out, it made us both smile. Avon
lock camp upon us quite quickly, I saw the turning for when we set off again,
probably Sunday, it was signposted Worcester, its a way we haven’t been before
so something new to look forward to. Im
just hoping he weather is cooler as I don’t fancy locking in this heat, we will
sort that out when we have to. There
were 2 NBs going in the lock so we fastened off at the pontoon and waited. A massive cruiser pulled out from the
pontoons, they are in front of us in a kind of cul- de- sac, I thought he might
be going in the lock too, which meant a longer wait in the searing heat,
luckily he turned and went towards Gloucester.
The temperature in the cratch with the flaps open is nearly 30, its so
hot. We went through the lock very
smoothly, the Lockie was chatting to Derek about the engine, he really likes
it, Derek told him what we planned to do, and he said we could moor right outside the lock where we
were before. Through the lock, there was
a NB (family from New Zealand on it) it was in the space we were going to use,
a broadbeam was going through first, so we hovered about a bit and then pulled
behind and slightly alongside the NZ NB to wait for him to go through. We had a lovely chat with the New Zealand
lady and her mum, they had been to Stratford on Avon and seen all the places we
had and they were now on their way to Worcester. Their final destination is Oxford to pick up
their son, whose coming over from New Zealand.
We wished them a safe journey and waved them off as they went into the
lock, we may see them on the way if they don’t go too quickly. Derek fastened us up and busied himself putting
bigger fenders round, keeping us off the metal and wooden moorings. I had a wash and brush up and change of
clothes and me and the kids went for a quick look see to town. I got a bucket (spotted it last time I was
here), its got a large lip on it, Derek says it could be used as a potty?? No takers yet. I will paint it and use as a mop bucket, its
white enamel with a blue line round the lip, so it looks a bit clinical!!? Maybe
D is right????? We had pizza and other
bits and bobs for tea and all lazed around as its still really really hot.
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