Starters Orders
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Sadly we bid a fond farewell to our home for the last year in Harleyford Marina, excited and nervous in equal measure. With a small gift from the security team and after a small gathering with our neighbours the previous evening, we are at last heading out into the big wide world to fend for ourselves.
With the first three stretches of the Thames still on ‘Red Board’ warnings we found that we were carried along at a fair old rate. Fortunately there was not enough height in the river to cause us any issues although we had to apply a bit of power for each obstacle we did come across.
All went well until we got to Windsor, then a sharp left bend with a strong current threw us into the bank. Luckily, only my pride was hurt, but Shensi suffered a couple of scratches that I will aim to buff out later on.
After that we moored up for the night and left the challenge of Windsor bridge until the next day.
Wednesday went very well and we stopped off at Staines where Bill joined us for a quick catch up and then we crossed the river to the fuel barge just to top up the domestic tank. From there it was off to Walton On Thames where we moored up beside the Anglers Inn, and later on Alec popped in to see us on his way to meet up with some friends for a meal. Gradually we are leaving our children behind although Stuart and Alec are cycling over to Belgium for the weekend with a few of their friends, so it looks like we may see them over there.
On to Thursday, and it’s just a short hop down to Teddington where we will be stopping for the night – a lot easier now there are no stream warnings. So this is it, just time to sort ourselves out before the pilot arrives at silly o’clock in the morning to take us across the channel.
It’s really happening.
