Retirement with No Problem

Newbury West Mills to Whitehorse Roving Bridge, K&A Canal, 1 mile 2 locks

Quite a cruise today eh?!!

Well I had some bits and bobs I wanted to do in Newbury before pulling the pins this morning, and it wasn’t until noon that we did so.  We moved the boats tentatively towards Town Lock, the wind was really strong, taking the boats away from the towpath side.. but it wasn’t long before we had them both safely in the lock, and the inevitable pic followed that everyone who passes through this point takes…

Well if I hadn’t have taken the pic of Newbury Lock I would have felt I missed out!.. but there is the Lock Stock and Barrel pub below the lock.. went there with Wendie and Dan the other evening to celebrate my birthday… they like it there..

I decided that I shall give up now on trying to close the double lock gates each time we leave the locks, and I am sorry to any crews who happen to be following us, but it is getting too difficult and tiring to do the locks myself, open one gate to let Vic out, climb down the ladder onto No Problem, push her over to get out of the one gate.. stop and tie up myself on the lower lock landing, go back and shut the gate, then untie and get on and continue.. no, too much.. tis only one gate I am leaving open.. anyway 50% of the time a boat will be coming the other way.. “Oh goodie” they will say, “Somebody has left the gate open”!… Teehee, I have often said it myself!

So we whizzed one behind the other through the town on the river current which is rather strong between the high buildings, and for sure No Problem is not as responsive as the nippy Tara, and I did wonder if I was going to make the turns, but more power needed to persuade her to do as she was told, and we both emerged into the ‘pool’ of Victoria Park, much quieter now after the raz-a-mataz of yesterdays Crafty Craft finishing post.

We stopped at Greenham Services to top up with diesel and gas for both boats, the last time we shall do so before getting to Braunston me thinks.. and it gave me an opportunity to knock on Mike’s door to find out why he is no longer blogging with Globetrotter.. but he saw me coming along the canal and gave a wave as I drew close to the boatyard..

The guy who runs the services always gives us a great welcome.. his name eludes me.. is it Peter?  I know he reads the blog.. I hope he will put me right on his name.  Well he knew Vic had a problem with his back, and helped get Tara into the side with the awful wind doing its best to cause havoc.. But eventually both boats were tied up securely and he did a good trade with us for diesel and gas.. thanks too for lifting out our gas bottle  xx

Chatting then to Mike, he gave me the reason why he cannot blog anymore, and I can report that he has had to take his blog and all the past contents off the internet.  What I cannot report is the reason why.. It is a shame because the Globetrotter blog I found very informative, interesting and full of free speech, which is what a blog is all about really.. writing as you feel.. but always a pleasure to spend some time with Mike.. smashing guy.. I will miss his blog, and just hope one day an opportunity might arise when he can start writing again.

We didn’t go too much further after that.. the wind was too bad.. One more lock and then we found somewhere to moor and called it a day.. anyway, it was getting a bit late by then.. ha too much chatting to folk today me thinks!