Rowkin Rovings Blog

After our drink in the pub last night with Kevin we decided that we would head off early in the morning due to his travel commitments and our desire to get just a little ahead of schedule. So it was up at 8.00am which was a very good idea as the deepest lock on the Grand Union Canal at 11’ 1”, had a problem with its lower gate. There was a severe leakage causing the pound above it to drop a foot overnight and we were the last boat through before the shut it down – phew!! Just for interest sake, the deepest lock on the canal system is 19’ 8.5” which is up on the Rochdale system.

At the top of the lock and …….

We were making great time this morning and had very few impediments except doing the elsan and water. It was at this point where we bid adieu to Kevin as he didn’t require either services and his marina where he was storing his boat was only half an hour down the canal. We might actually bump into him on our to the Thames River in seven days.

This was our last lock for the next seven days thankfully. A rather leaky one at that. It has been quite the work out coming down the Grand Union and extra tough because of the broad locks. It’s not over though as we go back onto the Grand Union in a week.

It appears that crocs are making their presence felt on the UK canals. One might think the real estate agent would have suggested that the croc wasn’t such a selling feature of the house.

Di and Toque doing a morning constitution before the heat of the day takes it’s toll. They try to get in about 45 minutes along the towpath but quite a bit of that taken up with Toque sniffs and lots of pees. Also spent a fair bit of this time on the walk trying to avoid all the goose Pooh.

We got to the Junction of the Grand Union Paddington Arm and took the opportunity to do a final big shop as the Tesco was right next to the canal. They have smaller supermarkets in and around Paddington but to do a decent shop you have to go to Harrods or Fortnum and Masons – we don’t think so!!! According to the above sign we are 13.5miles from Paddington but we chewed off about two miles after our shopping trip and found a mooring amongst a lot of other boats. We have been warned that security is very important whilst in London so are taking these warnings seriously.

Our moorings tonight have thrown up a couple of interesting items. Firstly, we are moored across from a Mosque so no doubt will have an early awakening with a call to prayer. Secondly, well the picture explains it all and now we can say we have seen it all. The name of her boat was Living on a Shoe String.

So England absolutely trounced the Aussies in the cricket so we have an NZ/Brit final on Sunday. No one gets a second guess as to who Di is going to barrack for.