... and stop

The ‘Stream Decreasing’ warnings were still in place and the weather was set for mostly dry with little wind ... so at 9 o'clock we set off from Radcot ...

... reaching Radcot Lock the first of the day just 10 minutes later.

The lock keeper here advised us that the Red Boards would probably go up on this part of the River Thames by lunch time but we could continue cruising with care.

These two pictures show how the bends are slid into and out of ...

... lots of power and tiller ‘hard over’ is needed on the numerous sharp bends.  These photos were taken less than one minute apart! ...








... on the approach to Rushey Lock, emptying the loos before carrying on ...

... and an hour or so later Seyella sliding into the approach to go under Tenfoot Bridge ahead of us.

Shifford Lock where we stopped to fill up the water tanks ...

... before entering the very full lock of water! 

Leaving Shifford Lock - Seyella in front again compensating for the weir stream coming in from the right ...

I’m glad we weren’t travelling upstream today - we certainly wouldn’t have wanted to use the lock landing here if we’d had to wait for the lock to be turned ready for us!

 The scene at Newbridge looks quite tranquil but the current from the River Windrush comes into from the left to catch the unwary and push them out of line!

I’ve gone down to the front of the boat to take pictures (if I’m honest it’s really because I’m scared to death, we’ve only got the one chance to get it right!) and I’m wondering which arch George will take ...

Flippin’ ‘eck he’s taken the smaller arch and as I’m taking this picture I’m hysterically shouting ‘we’ll never get under here!’ (George couldn’t hear me anyway!) ...

... and as Geoff’s picture shows - George bought Rock n Roll through like the competent boater that he is - in fact he’s thoroughly enjoyed this past couple of days testing and honing his skills.
(Hope you don’t mind me using this picture Geoff?)

Hart’s Footbridge ...

.. and this really beautiful property ...

... called Cubs Puddle with its own boat dock - very classy!

Arriving at Northmoor Lock, the last of the day and it was here we saw the first Red Board on the upstream side of the lock (the yellow stream decreasing sign was still showing on our (the downstream) side).  Since it would not be safe to moor up on the lock landing because of it’s position opposite the weir he advised us to cruise carefully on and take safer moorings at Bablock Hythe

This was the state of the River Thames between Lechland and Oxford at 14:20 not long after we moored up.
To see the EA’s river condition site clike here

Moored up on Bablock Hythe a few hundred metres from The Ferryman Inn. Both boats have taken advantage of a full tank of water and the washing is out to dry. A walk later with the dogs and job done! We shall wait here now until the river drops and it’s safe to cruise once more.