Summer Cruise – Day 36

Escape from the Thames

After fortifying ourselves with bacon and eggs for breakfast we rang Osney Lock at 11am as the lock-keeper had suggested and were rewarded with the good news that they were now on Yellow Boards. “Are you busy?” we said “Not yet they replied, the news hasn’t got out yet!” so off we went.

 

 

The journey up to the lock gave no problems and as we approached the lock we rang again, as there had been boats moored on the lay by yesterday, they were just locking a boat down, so we pootled along slowly until we saw them coming down and were then able to go straight into the lock. The lock cut which is alongside East Street was much calmer

 

than when I walked up yesterday and then there was just Osney Bridge to get under, a nominal 7’ 6” air draft (Headroom).

We need 7’ 0” to clear our topboxes and the lockie reckoned it was down to 7’ 3”  we had already filled our water tank to ballast the front down and added our generator to the payload at the lock, so gingerly edging forward against the flow we were able to creep under with inches to spare.

 

 

After that it was easy, Godstow Lock was a doddle, there was a strong flow across Kings Lock entrance but the lockie had the gates open ready for us and got in safely, albeit with the stream pushing us diagonally as we approached.

 

A right turn, up to the weir, then hard left and we were in the mill stream in transition between river and canal. Apart from almost missing the turn into Dukes Cut and heading up to the old mill we managed famously and were soon back and able to relax on the familiar surroundings of the Oxford Canal and having to work the locks ourselves.
                                Did I say relax?

 

Joy was back at the helm to take the boat through, while I operated the locks. A phone call to our local spies elicited that there were no moorings by Thrupp Cottages, but we were fortunate to find a vacant space outside The Jolly Boatman where we hope to meet up with Maffi and Bones later on.