The coldest, slowest cruise ever!

We left our mooring at Willow Tree Open Space yesterday morning  at 9 o’clock and were quite excited by the fact that today we would be in London.  This fact is the only redeeming feature of this stretch of the Grand Union’s Paddington Arm (in my opinion).

 We’re well wrapped up against the weather, it’s cloudy and not very warm!

 More bridge hole mosaics

An hour later as we approach Greenford George took this picture of Wembley Arena in the distance (I was inside making a cuppa). By this time the wind was picking up and by-gum it was soo cold!

Top of the tree

… a Cormorant

20 to 12 and we’ve reached Stonebridge Park Aqueduct.  The plinths carry the Middlesex coat of arms.  This is the second aqueduct built here, the first spanned two arches and was opened in 1933.  In 1993 the current one was built with just one arch to accommodate the widened road below 

 … it’s a tight fit

… and crosses the extremely busy A406 North Circular Road

12 noon and Molly has complained about the cold wind blowing on her in her usual place on top of the sliding hatch over SR’s door and I’ve moved her into the more sheltered spot on top of the gas locker where she eventually snuggled down with her face into the sunshine (yes the sun did come out but did nothing to counteract the frigidness of that wind) and dozed.  She stayed here for an hour or so until the sunshine disappeared behind the clouds once again and I took her onto my lap wrapped up her blankets in an attempt to warm us both up a bit, so no more photos of the coldest, longest, slowest cruise to date.  

I would calculate that there are lines of boats moored along over 80% of the Paddington Arm, often on both sides of the canal.  As most of you will know, Still Rockin’ is a wide beamed boat (11.5’) and she displaces the water differently from a narrowboat (approx 7’) so the majority of the journey is done on tickover (for us that means approx 1.5 mph!) and not much more than that in the small spaces between moored boats!

According to the Nicholson Waterway Guide it’s approximately 11 miles from Willow Tree Open Space to our destination at Rembrandt Gardens near Paddington.  Those 11 miles took 5.5 hours to cruise - 2.09 mph - we could have walked quicker and been a lot warmer!

 It was 2:30 when we arrived at Little Venice and moored in our pre-booked space at Rembrandt Gardens.

 The views around us from the mooring.  Above looking towards Paddington Basin

 … looking across the garden

… and towards the entrance to the Regent Canal

Our Little Venice mooring ...

… taken this morning by George.

It is a long boring cruise along the Paddington Arm into London but once done and moored up safely the thrill of being in the capital of the UK never ceases to amaze us. Let the fun begin!