Ten Mile Bank EA Mooring to Denver EA Mooring
Our 48 hours would be up today, so it was better to move early rather than later and maybe not get a mooring where we wanted. The hire boat moved off and without us even noticing a cruiser had pulled in, they had staked their claim at the end of the mooring and would be joined by friends later in the day. Not sure Neil will appreciate their Jubilee celebrations!
As we pushed off we said our goodbyes to WB Karma, Lana popping her head out to wave, we might see them somewhere up stream in the next few weeks, but today we were continuing on downstream.
Not far for us today. We passed under the railway bridge. Past the pink house with good vantage point windows to see up and down stream, past the end of the River Wissey and gradually caught up with a narrowboat that had passed us a while earlier.
We were now too close to Denver moorings to overtake so Mick put Oleanna into tickover and we drifted along behind. The chap ahead continued on past the moorings to pull up on the lock landing for Denver Sluice, a hire boat having just gone into the lock. We pulled in, moored up and did a cat health and safety check. With nothing of feline interest on the actual bank, the nearest would be across the road at the top. After yesterday there was no way I’d be letting Tilly out here, she’d have to just lump it!
Bags of rubbish had accumulated, so Mick walked over the lock to find the services taking one bag with him.
Blimey, that’s low! Well it certainly sounded low inside Oleanna. Over head a Lancaster bomber heading down to London for the Jubilee fly past. Out of all the planes that could have gone over us today, this was the one we’d hoped we’d see. In fact it was the only one we got to see today! Mick was fortunate enough to be able to get photos being high up.
As 1pm came closer we settled down in front of the TV, flight radar 24 on Mick’s tablet, tracking the Lancaster’s movements, circling around near Chelmsford. We watched as the royals came out on to the balcony at Buck House and then watched the fly past. It looked great on TV, but according to Heather Bleasdale who was in London, you could almost tickle the planes tummies as they went overhead. Our other observation was that the future King, George needs to learn not to scrunch his face up so much, he’ll regret the photos from today for decades!
With the excitement of planes over with the roof of Oleanna was cleared and I set about washing down her port side. The bank being a touch higher made the roof easier today, but then it was further to reach down to get the gunnels! She’s looking all clean again. Just needs a polish, her grab rails also desperately need a repaint as in parts they are getting beyond being even pink now.
Mick headed back off the bins with more rubbish and the yellow water container. He was gone for quite some time as he couldn’t find the elsan. Maybe a girl look tomorrow will be needed.
Later on we were joined by a cruiser, Mick nudged us up a touch so they’d fit the gap batter. The lady who’d had a gin or two asked how to get to The Wash, then she enquired about the Hundred Foot Drain. Both are below Denver Sluice, Mick suggested they should consult the Lock Keeper about tide times, knowing full well that they’d thought of going for a pootle around having no idea about what was entailed! Beetroot risotto this evening with a glass of white wine. The only thing I could find close to hand that was blue were hayfever tablets! A patriotic tea.
At around 9pm we dug out some tea lights and popped them into our guiding lights to join in with the lighting of the beacons, any excuse for us to light them.
0 locks, 2.79 miles, 1 straight, 1 slow boat, 1 very bored cat, 1 clean Oleanna, 3 bags rubbish, 1 yellow water tank empty, 1 missing elsan, 1 personal fly past, 2 guiding lights, 1 red white and blue tea.
