Cropredy back to Hennef Way, Banbury

The last job on the list is to get the toilet tank pumped out. We got diesel & water yesterday, just need to empty the other one now!

Were not in a rush today, it’s a reasonable one, not too cold or wet and managed to get some work done to start whilst I wait for everyone to get up and get ready – the cats are in and were good to get going.  A few boats have gone past, seems like there are still quite a few holiday boats out and about – one of which we were following when we puled out, and they puled into the marina before us, and headed into one of the service dock points. Seems that when they picked the boat up a few days ago, their tank wasn’t pumped out before collecting as theirs is also full.

Well, we got the pump out token from the office, and waited for the hire boat to finish off whilst watering the plants on the roof.  For a first time hirer, they did quite well getting out of the service dock with the cross wind that’s always blowing through the pound here! Once they were out, another boat pulled in. They were here for a pump out also, and water – but their hose was not long enough to reach, so we joined theirs to ours so they could use the tap we were on.

Eventually, were all done, and what a job getting out I had, reversing from the dock and the side winds across the pound were having none of it today..   a full 360 spin later, were finally pointing in the right direction to get out of the pound! (Should make for an interesting GPS track! – remember, the phone recording this is on the stern with me, so the track is where the rear of the boat is..)

A steady run back to Hennef Way, a few more hire boats about, a couple of 1 boat queues for locks, but nothing too major today 😉

Now that were full up on what the boat needs, its going to be several days of staying put, washing on, fire on to dry it all and at some stage next week, on through Banbury and possibly moor up below the lock for several days before deciding where to go.

Were not going that far north until at least the middle of December though, as Napton Lock Flight is being taken out on Nov 1st until Christmas (when we came down a while ago, there was several hours worth of queues as they were only opening them for a few hours a day – due to water losses)..   and I don’t fancy going too far south back down the Cherwell, incase we get stuck again..  so looks like were going to be moving back and forth between Fenny Compton and The Pig Place on the South Oxford for a while.. and as were not getting a winter mooring this year either – no more than 2 weeks in any one spot for us, but that’s not too bad, as we know a few good spots round here where we can moor up for several days, then move to the next before turning round and repeating them all!

But.. someone doesn’t mind staying put..  😀

And..  a nice shot of Hennef Way Mooring..  and why we like it here..