Day 4 – Monday 14 May 2007 We were now Basingstoke bound. We locked out at 9:30am, sharing Limehouse lock with a widebeam community boat for Brentford. I'd already realised that they were going to be slow, since they had booked a time 1/2 hour before the normal time (I booked 1/2 hour later, as I knew I would make the time up by Brentford). We swapped email addresses for picture sharing, but even though I was making less than 4 mph through the water they were being left behind. Just before Tower Bridge I gave up, since I needed to get a move on.
We did the trip in a couple of minutes over 3 hours, and locked up with another boat that came out of Brentford just as we were approaching the junction. Since it was wet and nasty, we moored on the lock moorings for lunch, and waited for the weather to improve slightly. At Teddington I called the Basingstoke Canal again, but they said the locks were still closed, and they were only allowing boats up the first 6 locks. At £32 pounds for the 3 day licence we passed, and decided to go up the Wey. At 2:15pm we set off again, as I did want to arrive at Thames locks before the lock keepers went off duty. It was slow going pushing up the river, thanks to all the rain recently, but usually managed 4mph. We reached Thames Lock at 5:10pm, but after talking to the lockie about licences it was decided to make the most of the 3 day'er by going through the lock the next day. We were told we could stay in the pound over night. Later we got a knock on the boat, there was a boat wanting to come down, and would we mind them mooring alongside while they locked down. After talking with them for some time, we found out that they had also tried to get up the Basingstoke, and ended up doing the Wey instead. They had come to the same conclusions as we had - the Basingstoke Canal saw boats as a nuicence and got in the way of their conservitory work. It seems that any excuse to close the canal, and they will. Day 5 - Tuesday 15 May 2007 We payed our £26 pounds for the Wey licence, and £15 pound deposit for the windlass. Apparently there is a fine for £10 a day for overstaying, so we will probably end up doing 4 days for £36 pounds! We took a steady run up to New Haw lock, where we stopped while I went back to work to pick up my new laptop. We set off again at 4pm, and stopped at the Wey Trusts wharf at Cartbridge. There does seem to be a lack of proper moorings on this navigation. Day 6 - Wednesday 16 May 2007 We had a lazy morning, and didn't set off until 10:30am. It was raining on and off as it has been doing all holiday, never mind it's suppose to get better as the day wears on. We had a good run up, with nearly every lock in our favour. We continued past Guildford, I was hoping for a nice mooring but the only moorings appear to be behind the cinema in a really yucky part of the town. Above the lock a rowing boat was getting in the way, and just around the corner the police divers were practicing. The river got quieter after that, but the low bridges still kept me awake. I was a bit dissapointed that the Wey and Arun canal didn't have anywhere to moor up, and I chickened out of going down the cut. Above Unstead Lock we found our way blocked by a turning Iona, and we followed her up to the last lock. We squeezed along side after lifting the fenders, where I noticed that the boat had a little identity crisis, as the three cans on the roof proclaimed it was also called Domino, and Bellerophon (presumably from the film 'The Bargee'). We continued right upto the bridge at Godalming, and then reversed back to the mooring just above the sanitary station. By this time Iona had moored up, and the horse had walked around to the stables. We walked up into town to decide what to have for tea, but Dad wanted Fish and Chips (best in the UK for 2006/07 apparently). Mike -- Michael Askin http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
