Saturday 27 October 2018

Dorney to Cookham

Still heading towards home upstream (19th Oct)
07:30 and we're ready to move ... downstream again!
A very brisk walk for me this morning ...
into the sunset to set Boveney Lock
Still Rockin' appears from the mist and I let her down the lock ...
we fill the water tank, turn around, go back up the lock and continue our journey up the Thames ...
and it's 10 past 9 before we're passing last nights mooring again.






at Bray is still not ready to open
Soon approaching Bray Lock from under the M4 bridge ...
where the lockie is a keen gardener - the Cosmos positively glows!


Under Maidenhead's railway bridge built by Brunel where for the first time I notice this plaque ... The Sounding Arch ... what is that about?



Watch this short YouTube video ... we live and learn!
Boulters Lock next is on self service and the gates had been left open ...

so George brings Still Rockin' straight in and I take the bow rope from the roof and hold her steady as we rise.  Another boat is waiting at the top and the skipper from that boat is operating the lock for us.
Waving to the Gongoozlers at the pretty lock bridge as we leave

'Our' Cliveden mooring was available, but not for us today.

Looking back into the blinding autumn sunshine

Passing Cliveden's Victorian boathouse I can see that it's not quite ready for use
(see our last visit here) and a photo of the inside (here)
Nancy Aster's canoe which we last saw under wraps is now installed safely inside and workers were busy but I don't think it will be ready for public trips this year now.
Cookham Lock next where we hope to find a mooring for the night ...
and found a bit of a problem on the control unit.  I've not operated this lock on self service before and couldn't see the panel!  I walked all around it before I noticed the little box top right corner and hey presto ... there it was!


Coming out of the lock cut the moorings look rather full ...
but we do find a Still Rockin' size space on Bellrope Meadow

when soon after we'd moored up the beautiful steam boat Alaska arrived
complete with guests ... lovely!

2 comments:

Vallypee said...

What gorgeous scenes you see on the river there. I love the misty photos and the steamer. Such beautiful weather too!

Carol said...

Thanks Val, the weather has turned very cold now but the light is still wonderful!