Out onto the Thames

Did you manage to read Chapter 1 – if not read it here.

Saturday (not Sunday!) 5th April

After a lovely restful stay in Theale, we are once again on the move towards Reading. Stopped for lunch on the river Kennet in gorgeous sunshine, after some pretty tricky locks!

Can you believe it – we are running a day ahead of ourselves ! So thinking it was actually Sunday we pitched up at church, wondered why no one about!! 😂😂

Anyway… back to Saturday🤦‍♂️. In Reading we played at being members of the Canal and River Rescue Service and rescued some boaters who had borrowed a narrowboat from a friend for the first time. They were unfortunately caught in the current and heading straight for a weir! We managed to get a rope to them, and then saw them safely in the lock safely on their way.

We have now reached The Thames, moored up until Monday when we head for Oxford.

Monday 7th April

Today we met a lovely mum and her son as we were about to go through a lock in Reading. So we offered them a ride aboard Everlong. Turned out they were from the Seychelles. Lovely hugs after we deposited them back on dry land. Continued our journey surrounded by gorgeous scenery along the Thames, as far as “Goring on Thames” where we settled for the night.

Tuesday 8th April

Hello Abingdon!
Arrived here late afternoon and moored up next to the park.
Met a lovely young family from Lebanon. The Dad told me his story, fleeing conflict in the Middle East, and I in turn told him about Canal Ministries and life as a narrowboat liveaboard. It was nice spending time with the family. We gave the children some duck pellets and they had a great time feeding the geese, ducks and pigeons.

Thursday 9th April

We were blessed with the company of James and Hazel Bell (Also part of the Canal Ministries family) as we cruised from Abingdon to Oxford.

We dropped them off as we left The Thames and joined the Oxford canal. It’s quite something to get used to single locks and single swing bridges again! Almost feels like they are toys. We moored up for the evening once we were out of Oxford to modify our wooden storage boxes on our roof as the bridges are low and narrow.

Friday 11th April

On our way through Banbury, I called an old friend I hadn’t seen in 20 years. She came to Cattle Quay where we moored up and I invited her aboard Everlong for a catch up. Beautiful weather as we continue our cruise .

Tuesday 15th April

Now on the Coventry Canal, we stopped at Oak Tree Farm where we met the farmer and the alpacas. Bought some wool to make fingerless gloves for Martyn as they are warm and waterproof for cruising.

Wednesday 16th March

A very cold and blustery day , Martyn all wrapped up in my home knits 😅

Thursday 17th April

“You guys really looked after me at Christmas.”

Met a boater today who noticed the Canal Ministries logo on Martyn’s fleece. He commented that “You guys really looked after me at Christmas.” Apparently, he was robbed by a homeless man he let on to his boat. Canal Ministries stepped in to help him.
It was really encouraging to have this feedback from the man.

Friday 18th April

This is at Autherley Junction where the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal meets the Shropshire Union Canal.