Trouble at Boulters lock

Thursday 27th August 2020

Despite our best efforts to seal Jannock off, about a dozen returning Wasps got in. They obviously were ‘going on a bear hunt!’ Can’t go over it, under it or round it, so they just found a teeny hole to go in through and then couldn’t get get out of it either. What with the wasps and workman’s radio blare from the other side of the hedge, we were glad to be setting off just after 9am.

Cliveden Reach

At the first lock, we waiting whilst a wide beam went up in front of us then we followed.

As always, Boulters lock was a pain. With a lock landing that accomodates two boats, we were 3rd in a line of 6 craft and so we remained hovering below the lock, waiting while the lockie filled the lock with craft coming down. He then sent some out to do a re-shuffle which took longer than it would have taken to empty the lock and refill with some from the lengthening queue below in.

Henley Mooring

There were three ‘staff’ at the lock – two for talking plus the working lockie who was continually distracted by the other two wanting to talk to him as well. Must have been a visit from ‘the management!’ A crowd of gongoozlers gathered on the lockside despite the Covid notices to the contrary. As the gates opened for us to go in, the management seemed to dissapear and the blue ‘self service’ signs went up. A crew member from another boat went up to work the lock and was reprimanded for ‘interfering’ by the lockie. He then told the gongoozlers to go away, they had been there for ages. another jobs-worth morning I suspect.

We travelled up past Cliveden, fondly remembering swimming here in 2006, whilst avoiding the paddleboarders and on-coming cruisers rushing to join the lock queue. We were being overtaken by boats ourselves.

 

At Cookham lock we were next to a family-sized cruiser whose steerer showed a distinct lack of rivermanship. As the lock opened, he showed no sign of setting off so Brenda started taking Jannock out. As we were passing he asked graham “shall I go first then?” He hadn’t even started his very smelly engine. As we travelled down the lock cut he started to overtake, we slowed down as Brenda was concerned that another craft would meet him on a bend. Luckily, when the inevitable happened near the bridge, the on-coming craft had chance to slow and manouvre out of his way. He shot past us and them and them proceeded to tie up on Cookham moorings in the middle of a three craft space. A lot of new boaters sign language was invented today – most meant prat!

Rainbow over Henley

The weather decided to persist down most of the afternoon. Brenda spoke to the lockie at Hambledon about the abundance of apples in the garden. Apparently the EA have sent boxes for their collection. They will be gathered and made into cider – raising funds any way they can?

After we’d left Hambledon lock, with the skies darkening as we traversed the regatta course, we entered a total grey-out thunderstorm so we moored up at the end of the Henley visitor moorings, not something we’d normally do as it involves a fee of £10 but needs must when you want to avoid getting drowned. At least any monies paid will go into council coffers.

Mooring in Henley at ///loving.notes.twinkling – more likely wet.wet.wet ;^)

Video footage – Dorney to Cookham https://youtu.be/4S2KQZeYxQo

Cookham to Hurley https://youtu.be/8U7ZdOTOdNw then camera ran out of memory.