3rd May - 14th May

Kim and Jeevan's wedding

Vincent Joseph lingered for a few days in Hemel Hempstead, while we made a trip to Sunderland for the wedding of Jeevan ( Davinder's son) and his bride Kim - a magnificent occasion.

Roger with his namesake boat

 On our return we continued our journey southwards, stopping at Batchworth ( a suburb of Rickmansworth)

Passing under the M25

whose Canal Society owns a restored working boat with a special name...



Then on past Harefield (of heart hospital fame), and then Uxbridge, where we had a bit of a mishap - trying to moor up at a very crowded boatyard we were caught by a gust of wind and collided with the the metal prow rail of a cruiser, breaking one of our windows.  Fortunately for us we met up with Alex, owner of "Escape  the Rat Race"(etrr.co.uk) as he was handing over one of his narrowboats, and 
he immediately phoned a contact to fix the window.  Paul from Marine Windows in Reading came promptly the following day to bash out the dented frame and fit new glass. We were extremely grateful, as we really
didn't fancy venturing on to the Thames with a bit of plastic taped over the hole. 

Finally we turned off the Grand Union on to the Paddington Arm,

It's a long way from Braunston....

..... to Paddington

and have just moored up in Paddington Basin in the very heart of London ( snagging the last mooring space)

Paddington Basin

Tomorrow is the final push to Limehouse Basin, from where on Saturday we shall emerge on to the Thames Tideway as part of a convoy for a trip organised by the St Pancras Cruising Club.  The plan is to set off very early, turn left down-river to sail past the Thames Barrier (yikes!) then "stem the ebb tide" and return on the flood tide all the way past Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye etc, etc.  By late afternoon we should pass through Teddington Lock to the (relative) safety of the non-tidal Thames, moor up, and have a very stiff drink!

 Benny has had to go into the hated cat carrier no less than three times in two weeks - to a vet for his annual booster injection, to a cattery near Hemel while we were away for the wedding, and then to a different cattery in East Molesey until next Monday, so that he is not on the boat during the tidal cruise.  We decided that we would have enough to worry about without trying to stop him leaping into the fast-flowing river every time the door opens!

Watch this space for the next exciting episode!