A bright sunny day but the wind is sooo keen - coats were worn on the back today.
Some pretty and ...
... some impressive houses backing onto the Thames along here ...
... as well as a WWII pill-box
Coming up to Newbridge (which it isn’t - ‘new’ that is - it was built around 1250 by the monks on the orders of King John after the bridges at Radcot and Lechlade were finished, hence the name) where all the moorings were full ...
... note the long poles on the bank-side - this is to stop the boats in times of flood from tipping over or ending up on dry land when the floods recede ...
Do they know something we don’t?
The middle arch looks favourite today away from those canoeists.
The Rose Revival looks a pretty pub on our left ...
... and the Maybush on our right as we pass under the bridge ...
Widebeam boats Solstice and Chubby moored on the private moorings (£4.00 per night), they’d followed us through Northmoor Lock yesterday ...
... we decided we would moor up just around the corner; it was a bit awkward to get both boats close enough to the bank. We put in the pins and were about to adjust them to better positions when Black Prince Hire Boat Zoe appeared to be trying to turn in a space not wide enough and jammed her bow in the bank and her stern in the trees - she was stuck solid!
Both Seyella and Rock n Roll were safely moored up so George and Geoff took off to help.
Geoff took his wood saw and is trying to free the stern ...
... in the meantime two cruisers have arrived from downstream (going against the current) and eventually pulled in behind us ...
... and a narrowboat is coming downstream (with the current) ...
... oh crikey, I hope he’s not going to get stuck too!
Both these boats were turning to moor as it is wise in a fast flow to moor facing upstream....
More helpers arrived and tried to push the bow round with ropes and boat poles ...
... and the wood has been cut clear of the stern and she’s put into a slow reverse ...
... to give the bow a bit more room to swing ... put your backs into it!
And she’s free at last ... there appears to be something wrong with the steering after the incident ...
... George hangs on to the tiller whilst Geoff takes a look ...
... and the waiting boats are also free to continue their journeys ...
... the cruisers jostle for position ... honestly they did!
George and Geoff are trying to make the tiller locate properly into the bearing hole on the skeg; it’s been lifted out when it hit the offside bank
Meanwhile ... the helpers light the gas burner to make themselves a cuppa!
... it still won’t locate ...
... why is taking the chimney I wonder? ...
... Geoff decides to step down onto the fender bar above the rudder and wants to use the chimney to try to look under the water at whatever is stopping the tiller from locating .. he takes a rope and threads it though the hole in the rudder ...
... and passes it to George who pulls it through ... and it works! The tiller relocates and steering is once again restored.
Now, where did I put my saw? ...
... you’ve left it in the trees over there!
The hirers are very grateful to them both and the helpers who arrived in a small boat went over to retrieve the saw for Geoff.
Job done!
And while all this is going one life on the river goes on too ...
... the geese cruise serenely down the river ...
... make a song and ...
... and dance as they go ...
... and then continue on their way.
The cruisers make ...
... no concessions to moorers and create lots of wash behind them
... and these young people looked half frozen and they glided past in their silent electric boat ...
... and then the boys (George and Geoff) with the girls (Molly and Meg) return from their pack walk.
A very interesting day!
Well done for all your kind help to those folk!!.
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