Yipeee ... we're out!

Well, that's the blacking done for another couple of years ...

and Still Rockin' is looking good!

10 to 8 this morning and we're topping up the water tank ... 

and George sorts out the deck ready to leave Uxbridge Boat Centre

8 o'clock and the sluice is opened and water pours in ...

5 minutes later and the plinths on which Still Rockin' sits are nearly under water

By 10 past 8 we're afloat

and by 8:15 they're ready to open the gates ...

but not before the plastic bags that they use to stop the leaks on either side of the gates as well as between gates are removed

The way to freedom!

The ropes are untied

and Still Rockin' is hauled out

ensuring that she doesn't touch the edges of the dock

He's standing on the lock pillar to ease her bow into the channel

no touching!

and that's it ... we're out into the daylight and the engine is switched on

George continues to reverse until we facing down stream 

to pull alongside the wharf

to fill the diesel tank but the chap whose job it is doesn't start work until 9 so we wait ...

as do the boat centre staff ... for the next boat to come in ...

and here he comes ...

he takes the turn into the dock ...

and an arm reaches out and takes the rope ... and in he goes.

The view from the galley window as I make a cuppa while Still Rockin's fuel tank is topped up

and away we go

an eye-catching pot of flowers and those fabulous cherry pickers ... do they look to you as if they're marching?

I suppose it beats fetching the car every time you move on!

Through Cowley Lock bridge ... this is actually a 'turn-over' bridge that takes the towpath from one side of the canal to the other only in this case there's a busy road to cross too

Waiting for the lock to be set

and we're through ...

Remember I wondered where Arthurdaily keeps his boat ... well it's here!

I've not seen Mandarin chicks before so I was chuffed to see this new mum encouraging hers into the water for the first time

Proud Mum, Dad and the four kids!

Our preferred mooring wasn't available to us today so we continued through bridge 190 and found one without any overhanging trees to drip their sap onto the roof; George says that it's a right pain to remove!

We'll stay here for a couple of days while we sort out the tide times to enable us to return to the Thames.