We’re here!!!

Woke up very early this morning due to the effects of excitement (George) and anxiety (me) … we’re off to the Thames today on the tide this afternoon from Brentford to Teddington.

After using the facilities for water etc., cleared the weed hatch and seen our way through Brentford Gauging Lock it was 2:15 on the low tide giving us plenty of headroom today under bridge 209

… and making our way to Thames Lock.

The long stringy green weed which wraps around your prop and can stop your engine is rife on the Grand Union Canal south of Bulls Bridge and as expected we had to stop as soon as we reached the moorings to clear the prop once again.

20 to 4 and the tide is coming in now

Mrs Tufted Duck keeps her chicks close

There were four narrowboats and us going out on this tide, we were the last, and at 16:45 we’re off - or we’re supposed to be … George has lost all control of Still Rockin’ as the weed has gathered around the prop and the bow thruster once more. We obviously managed to get into the lock but with a bit of a bump I’m afraid!

As soon as we’d exited the lock we had to pull over on the pontoon ...

… the orange bag holds the contents of the previous clearing of the prop and on top what wrapped around the prop in the hundred yards or so to the lock. It was reminiscent of our exit from Teddington Lock as we left the Thames last year in mid-November!

It was just 6pm as we turned right onto the Thames. The wind had got up and was blowing a hooley and at one point the waves were splashing into the bow! Too windy for Molly to be in her usual position on top of the hatch so I sat with her on my knee for the hour long journey to Teddington … hence … no pictures of the trip.