Thankfully we survived storm Ciera with no serious mishaps although George got up during the night to slacken the mooring lines and lower the fenders as the Thames had risen with all the rain.
On the build-up to the storm the weather had been very cold but sunny here at Hambleden ...
Wednesday last week (5th) we woke to a mist on the river and the ducks waiting for the birds to arrive and drop seeds etc for them.
It was also the day that Marcus came to remove Still Rockin's gear box. The gear box has had a slight leak through the oil pump since it was fitted 5-years ago and had already been replaced once. Beta has a 'no leak' policy they have agreed to remove the gear box and ship it via Marcus to PRM who will test, repair/replace and return it under warranty.
This is the plate that fixes the gear box to the engine being removed by block and tackle ...
and the gear box now being lifted ...
so there it is ...
here's hoping that Beta, PRM and Marcus can get it back to us in full working order before we have to leave the marina late March/early April.
Another misty morning and cold fine day on Thursday too ...
and signs of spring in one of my pots ... yeah!
Friday morning now ...
I knew that I'd disturbed a cormorant when I went to take this picture but didn't realise that he was in the shot ... but is that two cormorants or was he flying so fast I got him twice?
A very determined, upside down Woodpecker ...
breakfasting on the suet balls.
A flock of one-legged mallards ...
and two foreigners trying to decide whether to join the ducks ... or not!
Saturday (8th) and the river has dropped; we now have to step up slightly onto our mooring pontoon rather than down about 15" when the Thames was running high.
It really was 'the calm before the storm' and George decided that it was time to jet-wash the roof of Still Rockin' which did indeed need it!
We would usually have washed and polished the boat including the canopies before we arrived at our winter mooring but with all the rain and red boards in late October it just didn't get done.
It now looks pristine!
And then the wind blew furiously, the rain pelted down and Still Rockin' rocked!
Post storm Ciera ...
Today (Tuesday11th) the wind has dropped from 50mph gusting 70, to just 23 mph gusting to 45 ...
but the sun was shining at 7am and the temperature was 2°.
I mentioned above that the Thames rose overnight ... by a good 10"/25cm ... at the moment the pontoon is not rising but I think it will in the next day or so ... and now we're stepping down once again to get off the boat!
And ... there's more rain and high winds to come this week!
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