A windy day ...

7:15 on Friday (12th October) and looks like it's going to be a fine day

Twenty minutes later and we've pulled away from our Weybridge mooring, heading upstream again and approaching Shepperton Lock

Waiting for the lock to finish emptying

A new missive from the EA on the lock consul to both save water and prevent algae so I'll need to leave the sluices raised when we leave the lock

These pictures made me smile!  The swan above actually knocked on the porthole of the dutch barge houseboat and ...

and the belted galloway appeared to be playing hide-and-seek!

Looking back at 20 past 9 we see the sun is doing its best to come through the clouds ...

as we approach Chertsey Bridge can see that the lock is on self-service

Still Rockin' coming in and as we ...

leave the lock can see a 'crowd' of contractors 'working' on the weir!

Oh dear!  

This boat was moored in front of us at Weybridge when we arrived yesterday and the skipper was busy polishing all that wood and chrome, he was obviously proud of his craft.  As we left to go shopping he was taking guests onboard and was gone by the time we returned.  The picture shows his boat moored at a boat repair yard on the reach below Penton Hook Lock and has obviously been in a collision.  It looks to us as if he's run into something head-on and then whatever he's hit has slid along the side causing a lot of damage to his treasured boat.  Hope it's repairable. 

As soon as these two boats are out of the way we can go straight into the lock

The topiarist is doing a lovely job and he gave me a wave!

Skyline as we come into Staines ...

and there he is ... Chris on fuel boat Merchant ... I drop one of our large fenders and tie the bow onto the cruiser 'Still Waters' ...

whilst we take coal and diesel onboard.

Business done we pull away and young Stanley has his back to us even though he's had his share of George's custard cream biscuits!

Approaching Staines Road Bridge I spy a boat we know and send a text ... 'put the kettle on'!

Sue and Vic are waiting to go into the dry-dock to have paint repairs done

Result!  Mr Grumpy lock keeper is not on duty today at Bell Weir Lock!

20 past 12 and we're nearly there ... passing Newlands ...

and turning in to our mooring for the weekend at ...

Runnymede of course ... it's a good job we have a season ticket that lasts for 12 months!

Although it was cold in the wind, today's cruise was exhilarating!