Sim’s Bridge to Stonebench Turn to Llanthony Bridge Visitor Moorings
There were men on my boat! They were in the big box at the back, that I’m not allowed in! And one leaned into a box I didn’t even know about at the front, I must investigate this one it looked interesting. I’d been allowed shore leave this morning and hadn’t been given a time limit, which always concerns me, it usually means that they are upto something. I kept an eye on all that was happening, well whilst checking for friends in some interesting holes I could get my arms into.
Tom kept an eye on the two men at the back. They took some things out, Tom didn’t seem too worried about this. He actually seemed quite happy especially when they put more things back. She stayed inside with another man. She said it was a good job I’d gone out as the outside was trying to come inside for a while.
They all stood around chatting, then one of the men walked down my cat walk and started playing with a red dot. What a waste! There were a couple of woofers going by at the time so I couldn’t chase it and all they did was think about it. What were they doing?! It needed chasing!!!!
After our leisurely breakfast we decided to head back in towards Gloucester with a need to be near a train station in the morning. Tilly had obliged by coming home as soon as the Finesse chaps had gone, think she needed to check that all was as it should be.
The Gloucester Sharpness is quite wide everywhere, so far, so we possibly could have just winded from our mooring. But there was a very strong breeze and a tree down on the off side. We decided that we wanted some more room between us and the bridge as well. So once a boat had come past we followed it up to the next bridge. They got a green light to go through, which then turned red as another boat was waiting to come from the other side. This bridge has 7ft 7” headroom, so we could fit under it quite easily, but the narrowboat facing us had it’s pram cover up. The bridge keeper jumped on the handle of the bridge and got it moving winding it open. Once they were through he waved us on changing our light to green.
At the next bend we winded and headed back the way we’d just come. Mick had to be reminded that we now have a working bow thruster, so he gave it a quick blast just to finish the turn.
Approaching the bridge Mick assumed the Keeper would see us coming so we sat waiting for a green light. We should have told him we were only going to wind as in the end I bipped the horn and he came rushing out to change the lights to green for us. No need for him to swing the bridge as we very very rarely travel with our pram hood up. Hempsted Swing bridge however did have to swing it having only 4ft 7” headroom. Once through we made our way to the 48hr mooring just in front of Llanthony Bridge.
After lunch we considered going for an explore, we soon dropped the idea as the rain set in properly and the wind got up buffeting us against the pontoon. Only one thing for it, light the fire and watch the next episode of Breaking Bad and hopefully no need to run the engine before 8pm.
Severn River level at 9am today Bewdley 0.759m,
level at Diglis, Worcester at 9am today 0.722m,
level at Gloucester Docks at 9am today 0.81.