Up river

 We left our mooring at Hampton Court yesterday morning just after 9.  The forecast was for clouds today and there were certainly plenty of them!

Molesey Lock was on self-service but that was no problem; we exited the lock and pulled over to use the services.

 We were soon once again passing Dave Gillmore’s (Pink Floyd) recording studio.  The same guy was cleaning as usual but at least today he acknowledged us with a wave and a smile!

 Approaching the outskirts of Sunbury

 Albino, mixed race or hybrid!

 Sunbury Lock also on self-service but this time operated by the tiny cruiser who was first in

 … a bit of a tight fit for all of us.

 Keeping away from the weir edge, there was a lot of fresh going over.

 Environment Agency Depot, everything is on a much larger scale than we see on the canals.

Lots and lots of youngsters out rowing above Sunbury, we’d just passed some youngsters lined up on the sailing club wharf for what appeared to be their first time in small ‘racing’ type rowboats with outriggers.  The first two were in their boats but were soon wobbling and tipped into the water, poor things, none of them were wearing life jackets.

Then we came across more learners … these were all over the place.  The nb (Ragtag) in front of us was taking avoiding action but they still didn’t see us coming until late - as we passed I pointed out to them that they need to watch our for other river users and that a boat of 34 tonnes does not stop very quickly!

Soon after the heavens opened on us and although the canopy was up we had wound up the front section and the rain came in horizontally but by the time we’d donned our waterproofs it had stopped!

We turned left before Shepparton Lock hoping for a mooring space on the Weybridge visitor moorings - were so lucky - there was no-one there at all.  This will do us for a couple of days.