Leaving London

 

This boat came into Paddington basin looking for a mooring and all looks normal as it passes us and goes up to the end of the basin to wind (turn).

When it turns it becomes a completely different looking boat. Its done as a ploy to try and extend mooring in a certain area. After their mooring time runs out they just turn the boat around so that it looks like a different boat . I have seen many boats with one side one colour and the other another but nothing like this before.

On Wednesday morning we pull pins and say goodbye to London. On Tuesday afternoon we had a letter put on the boat from Canal and River Trust to say that from now on it was ok to double berth under the hospital , and within 10 minutes a boat had berthed along side us. Its a bit of a pain for us as every time they walk across our boat or make a noise on their boat Molly and Hamish start to bark so we always try to avoid doubling up.

On the way out we stopped in Little Venice to take on water and get rid of waste. There are 2 water points and with the other one taken we had to use the one on the Paddington side, But as you can see with a boat as long as ours you just cant get in without blocking the entrance to the bridge unless you moor like this.

We passed this boat on our way out of London and it is named after a word that is used a lot these days, but of course i didn't have a clue what it meant although i used to hear it said occasionally at a place i used to work by certain people (Who will of course remain nameless) . Carolyn knew what it meant and she told me that it means  =          Does It Look Like I Give A F##k   . Well that's not very nice is it.

After leaving the Paddington arm we stopped at Bulls bridge and did a Tesco shop as it is very handy to the canal and for once there was a free space for us to moor in. When we got back from shopping it was down the weed hatch for me. You always know when there is something caught up around the prop as you normally start to get a vibration on the rudder as we were getting ,and sure enough we pulled this little lot off from around the prop.

With the water being fairly clear down here you can see what you are doing down the weed hatch, but most times you have to go on feel , and when you first put you hand down there you haven't got a clue what you are about to touch.

After a wet night moored below Cowley lock in Uxbridge we pulled pins at 09.40 on Thursday as soon as it stopped raining and headed off towards Rickmansworth and passsed this boat on the way,  I wonder why a lot of boats are named after alcoholic drinks….. Maybe a lot of boaters are Alcoholics.

There are loads of us like this ….

Up through Denham deep lock which is one of the deepest locks in this area.

After several hours of cruising we finally picked up this mooring just below Rickmansworth and opposite the farm where they filmed the TV series of Black Beauty back in the seventies.

We will move again tomorrow as the towpath is very busy here with walkers and a few idiots on speeding push bikes . But at least we have good internet and TV here so i will be able to settle down with a bottle glass or two of the red stuff and watch my beloved Spurs in European action tonight..     COME ON YOU SPURS !!!

 

                                                                                  Happy Days