Friday 11 August 2017

After the rain

We decided to stay above Hambleden Lock for another day as the forecasted rain came on Tuesday during the night and it never let up the whole of Wednesday. 
So 9:30 Thursday morning we pulled away ...
and headed for the lock
We weren't the only ones on the move, there was a queue at the lock and not enough room for this huge barge to get onto the lock landing so we had to wait mid-river too
The view was pleasant enough though 
The barge gets onto the landing



... and we pull in behind but there is no way I'm stepping off into that!
We were moored over there just in front of the second boat to the right of the picture




I wonder if this is the meadow where the Rewind Festival will take place next weekend, they appear to be bringing lots of 'stuff' in on lorries.





This is what happens when boaters don't pay their mooring fees around here.

The lock keeper motions the barge to come in and us to follow

I asked the lady on board to put the tiller the other way as I didn't want us to get caught up with it, we were that close!





A hire boat came in too

We descended the lock slowly and safely, gates open and off the barge went




Looking back as we started to leave the lock I was surprised to see that there were two cruisers behind us.
Passing Hambleden weir bridge which would take us to the marina (our winter mooring again this year)

Tug Churn is pulling a hopper with what looks like an effluent tank in it, the contents of which were being transferred to the tanker on the bank, this is how the elsan and pump outs must be emptied at locks with no vehicle access.





Although we've had lots of rain, we've still not had enough to warrant opening the weir sluices


The two swans in the right hand picture were 'courting'
Culham House
We were soon settled at another favourite mooring on the meadow at Medmenham for a few days.

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