Thames Cruise
September 13-20th
2022

Day 1 - Tuesday
Picked up the boat at Caversham arriving at 2.30 and departing around 3.30pm after a great briefing by Harvey, where Jeff and I were sure there was no mention of checking the water daily, despite what Joyce and Lynette said!  Stayed outside the Swan Inn in Pangbourne, where we ate,  just above the Whitchurch Lock.

Day 2 - Wednesday
Pleasant day's sailing with the roof off.  Reaching Abingdon for the evening's mooring, where we got a place to moor thanks to a very kind chap who told us he was leaving and we could have his spot.  Excellent location for Jem though whilst we were walking her J&J had to cleverly fix the problems we had putting the roof back on..  It is notoriously tricky. Got a Chinese Take-Away from a place in Abingdon - where we had a swift half at the pub opposite whilst we waited.  Food was fine.

Day 3 - Thursday
Sailed up to Osney Bridge in Oxford but didn't go through it despite Harvey saying it was just about possible with the roof off and windscreen down. Turned round and headed south. Stayed the night just below Clifton Lock by Clifton Hampden Bridge. Jeff and I checked out the nearby excellent Barley Mow Pub, phoning the girls from there to say we had "Accidentlly ordered a couple of pints of beer!". Ate there that night but on the way back poor Lynette tripped whilst watching the fishes and had a horrible bump above her eye!

Day 4 - Friday
Continuing south back past the boatyard for a free pump out and water.  Making it as far as Henley where we stayed that night.  Lovely location and well worth the £12 mooring fee. Stunning on the Saturday morning to wake up to the boats rowing on the river.  All of us surprised we'd made such good progress since Oxford but then again we were heading downstream! Dinner that night was another take-away - Jeff and I waited hours for it - but worth it, it was excellent!

Day 5 - Saturday
Lynette had spotted the perfect place to pick up Seb and Kelly, the Bounty Pub at Bourne End.  It worked perfectly. Steve and Jem walked along the path to find them and it took Jem several 'takes' to recognise who they were. Then she went beserck as expected! Continued onwards, through Windsor, on the day before the Queen's funeral with no end of River Security evident.  Nice weather so we lwered the roof again.  Stayed the night opposite the Bells of Ouzeley outside Old Windsor.  After an inspection by Joyce and Lynette, it wasn't up to our high standards however, so poor old Seb and Kelly had to walk miles for Fish and Chips. Steve and Jeff did have a crafty pint there however!!

Day 6 - Sunday
Headed downstream for a couple of miles where we had an illicit breakfast next to a 'No Mooring' sign (security ahead of the Queen's funeral). Delicious - Lynette soldiers on valiantly! Then turned round and headed back upstream, Reading bound.  Dropped Seb and Kelly off at Boune's End again heading to tonight's destination - Marlow. Passed through the lock but then the boat's Temperature Alarm started sounding! No moorings to be found above the lock so had to go back through it and moor downstream.  Called out the engineer who wasn't too happy we hadn't been topping up the water ("told you so"!!) but who also found the Impellor needed replacing. Steve had previously foolishly suggested Lynette and Joyce might like a stroll into beautiful Marlow and if any shops were open to stock up on provisions rather than just sit in the boat waiting for the engineer. Silly suggestion obviously. Lynette and Joyce ordered an Indian take-away which Steve and Jeff fetched after accidentally having a couple of pints of beer en-route.  Food was great

Day 7 - Monday
The day of the Queen's funeral. We stopped off en-route to watch the funeral itself. Moored up and Steve dropped the hammer in the water! Aiming for Sonning for tonight - not a long trip and all was going swimmingly. Especially for Joyce who decided to liven things up by falling off the boat!! After a few hectic moments Joyce herself saved the day by swimming first to one bank, then the other, then all round the boat. On to more important things than life and death - Lynette booked the Bull at Sonning on-line and we had a lovely meal there - walking through the church where Seb's friend Eleanor Fry was married and her brother William had his funeral.

Day 8 - Tuesday
An early start and we made it back to the boatyard at 9 exactly despite Steve losing his glasses in the water!  A quiet and relaxing week? We all needed a holiday after that!  But seriously, we all enjoyed it and won't be forgetting it for some time.

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