Woooosh we're off to Goring on Thames!

Abingdon to Goring, River Thames, 20 miles 6 locks

A phone call today to two of the locks downstream from our mooring of this week, “Amber!” “Amber!” and it was go, go, go!.. We pulled the pins breathing a sigh of relief that the ‘Red’ strong stream had been changed to ‘Amber’ increased stream.. A look back at Abingdon Wier showed that there is still quite a hefty stream of water coming down the river…

It was yesterday, it was important it didn’t rain or we might have had to go back upstream and spend the winter on the Oxford canal, but a beautiful morning it was yesterday, a lovely scene early on the river with the mist rising …

And today was nice too, as we pinged along at over 6 mph, breaking the speed limit!!.. But with excuse, the river is still running fast, and power is needed to keep No Problem in the centre of the river round the sweeping bends. 

It only happens on rivers… well mainly.. Approaching a lock there were two tuppaware cruisers on the lock layby spread out so I couldn’t get No Problem on the mooring.. it was OK, there was no stream or weirs, so I just hung back.  Into the lock they went and I noticed the lock was unmanned as the boat crews were winding wheels.  I tied No Problem to the lock moorings.  Vic went to the lock while I stayed to make some tea.. When I looked out there was Vic madly winding the wheel of the downstream sluices.. oh it’s over 200 turns to get the sluices up or down then another 200 or so to open the gates! .. I made my way over to help.. “Hey how come you are doing all that.. why didn’t those crews stay to help?” “Heh they just said ‘You need to wind the sluices down and shut the gates to get your boat through the lock’ and just went off!”  Said Vic..

Unreal!! They just opened the bottom gates, jumped on their boats and left the lock with the bottom gates open!! 

We had to wait 15 minutes or so for the lock keeper to arrive back from lunch at Benson Lock…

Well it would have taken us more time than that to get through the lock.. they are not automated you see when the Lock keepers are not about.. well one or two of them are now.. anyway it was nice to take a break for a while.. the river looks so tranquil in the picture, but for sure it is half wild in places at the moment!!

Moving quickly downstream,  it wasn’t too long till Goring Lock came into sight, always such a beautiful view on the approach.  The hills are close, and the river feels like it is going through a gorge.. 

A huge job to stop on the visitor moorings after the lock.. oh boy, the water was running fast.. only just managed to stop in the end, but I had post to pick up here!.. The chap on one of the boats moored here came out to help stop NP.. “Two days ago you would have had no chance at all of stopping here” says he..

Early start tomorrow.. we aim to be off the river and on to the narrow peaceful water of the Kennet & Avon Canal by early afternoon.. phew!!