Date - 20/05/08 Day - Tuesday Start - 0920 Goring End - 2020 Kidlington Green South Oxford.
We find the visitor moorings blow Goring Lock very good but there are a couple of sections where its a bit to high for the dog to get on and off the boat, also the water flow is very fast through this section just below the weirs. The morning was bright and a bit warmer than yesterday but still a bit chilly on the open water. We did the first two locks with another narrowboat, "Old Peculiar" but then they pulled over for water so we carried on alone intending to get water at Abingdon Lock. As we approached Clifton lock the gates were open and a narrowboat had just entered, it was 1.30 and the lock keeper was at lunch, we had intended to wait his return but as there was already a boat in there we joined them. The chap quickly closed the gates which took me by surprise, last time we went through here at lunch time we had to hand crank the gates and paddles, now they have been powered. At Culham lock there was a work boat moored just before the lock, a couple of EA vans parked by the lock and about 6 workmen milling about. I enquired if the lock was broken and was assured it was OK so I went and found the locky who was mowing the lawn and he worked us both through. It seams that the lock will be closed tomorrow morning for emergency repairs. At Abingdon lock the other narrowboat went in and out first, unfortunately as he left her shot over to the water point so we missed that one as well. We continued alone again and as we left Iffley Lock intending to stop by the pub the locky reminded me that tomorrow is the Oxford rowing regatta with the 8 racing down the Christ Church straight which would lead to long delays trying to pass through so we decided to push on, it was just as well as the pub was closed. We left the Thames at Oxford as by now Godstow lock would have been closed and made our way up the South Oxford a very slow process with the number of moored boats. Once past Dukes lock we started to look for a convenient mooring, the first one appeared at 8.20 pm where the sewer runs under the cut with about 55 foot of concrete edging and deep water. We had just finished dinner when Diana spotted something dive and cross the canal, it was leaving a trail of bubbles and travelling very fast, I opened the front doors for a better lock, just in time to see a Mink plop back into the water and head back towards the off bank again leaving a trail of bubbles. -- Brian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Join SOW and help save our waterways http://www.saveourwaterways.org
