27th May-1st June

Only hours after boasting on the blog of the ease with which we could turn the boat on the Thames, our words came back to bite us, as we came a bit of a cropper in Wallingford on Bank Holiday Monday.

Wallingford Bridge - we got a closer look
than intended

 We were trying to moor in pouring rain just beyond the beautiful old bridge but were caught by the current and pinned broadside across three arches, unable to move forward or back. Fortunately for us two gallant gentlemen spotted our predicament, and managed to catch our front rope in an umbrella handle (for once we were glad of the rain) and with their help from above, Jean pushing with the pole and Roger gunning the engine at the rear, we succeeded in gaining the safety of the bank.  It would have made a wonderful YouTube clip….

Clambering aboard

The following day brought its own excitement as the ‘moorings’ at Clifton Hampden marked in our canal guide turned out to consist of a high grassy bank on to which we had to scramble on hands and knees (and yes, it was still raining) across a foot’s gap as the water was too shallow to get closer.  We definitely felt out of our comfort zone.

Rescue operation

On Wednesday, yet another adventure!  We were just coming into Abingdon when we ran immovably aground on a sandbank.  Grateful thanks to the cruiser Celestine 11 who lent a helping hand to tow us off.

It was a huge relief to find lots of excellent mooring in Abingdon, and a pleasure to wander round the town admiring its ancient buildings.

Abingdon Civic Hall

We were joined on Thursday by Pernilla, a former work colleague of Roger’s, with her sons Hans and Nisse, mum Birgitta and stepdad Hans-Eric – and the rain actually stopped for a day, hooray..

Some of the Swedish contingent

From Abingdon onwards the river was very high, inevitable after such a rainy week, so we made slow progress battling upstream against the strong current.  There were yellow “Stream Increasing” boards displayed at all the locks, which made us slightly nervous, although the lock-keepers were happy for us to continue.

All the Thames lock-keepers have been
great - and some of them have been female!

 We stopped with huge relief on Friday at East Street moorings, above Osney Lock in Oxford, having negotiated the perils of another rowing regatta, and nearly come to grief on a blind bend past Folly Bridge.

Saturday was our final day on the Thames. The river is narrow under Osney Bridge,

Approaching Osney Bridge - not
much headroom

channelling the water into a powerful flow – we watched ducks zooming downstream past the boat like feathery guided missiles, and a couple of kayakers (out against advice) struggling to make headway against the current.  Our boat struggled too, creeping along at less than 2mph, until the river widened out at Port Meadow.

Port Meadow, Oxford

 Above Kings Lock we turned right into Duke’s Cut, and soon reached the peace and tranquillity of the canal. You could almost hear Vincent Joseph heave a big sigh of relief – or was that us?

Doing the Thames has felt like quite an adventure for us, and we feel a real sense of achievement, but it hasn’t been relaxing!

Thames Conservancy plaque on lock cottage

We definitely feel more at home on the canals – which is what narrowboats were designed for, after all. Mooring has sometimes been difficult (and expensive) and boatyards marked in our guide as offering diesel,water etc have not necessarily been accessible for a boat like ours.

Moor up for diesel - how??

The river has often been teeming with other, much smaller craft, which is nerve-racking for the steerer who has to try and avoid them.

First cruisers, then yachts, rowing boats,
canoes, kayaks - but punts came as a surprise

 Our pleasure in the whole experience was somewhat marred by both feeling quite ill at times (Jean succumbed  eventually to Roger’s flu)  and the weather didn’t help, with relentless rain for several days.

A lot of water passes down the Thames

 However, we shall doubtless look back fondly on it all as one of the more exciting episodes of our boating odyssey.