Decision made, it’s back onto the Thames—hopefully keeping dry this time. The difference now is I know roughly what to expect and how long the journey will take, unlike before when every corner was a mystery. Fortunately, the wind has eased today, which should make things far more pleasant.
I managed to catch up with Bobby the fuel boat and stocked up on diesel—at £1 per litre I grabbed as much as I could. Then it was back through Isis Lock, where I ended up doing something I swore I’d never do: leaving a lock open. To be fair, I had no choice—someone had moored right on the lock landing, with no thought for anyone else. I was relieved the wind had dropped, because you really need that lock landing to help with the 100’ turn back onto the Thames!
Today’s cruise took me all the way to Abingdon, where I finally tied up around 7:30 in the evening after 8 hours on the move. I’m pushing for longer stints at the tiller this week because I’ve arranged to meet a friend in Egham on Friday.