Limehouse to Denham
Well the plan was Limehouse to Harefield, but the lock keeper was reluctant to lock us out at 08:00am, as 09:00am would be the more typical time, giving 3 ½ hours before high water at Brentford, for the journey. We reckoned that we would arrive back at Harefield after dark as a result. So up early as usual, walk the dogs, and prepare the boat. This means checking the engine, taping up the Eberspacher exhaust, installing my jerry rigged rear navigation light and moving the anchor with chain and neatly coiled warp in a bucket to the back of the boat. We reckon that if you need the anchor it is going to be a bit of an emergency and the least hassle deploying it the better. So the front locker is definitely not the place for it on a tidal river. A quick recce had shown that although windy, the Thames appeared unusually calm, probably due to the lack of trip boats at this time. With life jackets on we waited for the lock green light and then proceeded along with Matilda into the large tidal lock. There are side rods for securing the boat on the lock wall, which makes for easy control, as there is quite a lot of surging as the sector gates open to let the water out. Outside the lock there was about 10 yards of packed flotsam including the usual plastic as well as car wheels and wood, so it was a good idea to stop the propeller and coast through. The river was indeed calm and we had an entirely trouble free journey with only two police boats to wave at and nothing else about. The lock keeper at Brentford was waiting and we were through and up the Gauging Locks by about 12:15. Our plan was to stop there for lunch, but the moorings were all taken and as we were pushed for time decided to continue on to the top of the Hanwell flight, which we reached at about 14:30. Lunch was then prepared on the run and we stopped at Tesco's for the smoked salmon, salad and new potatoes with the wine accompaniment. Our guests were then left at Hayes & Harlington station (bridge 200) and we continued on. By Uxbridge it was well into dusk and it started raining. By Denham, below the deep lock, it was fully dark, with thunder, heavy rain and so stormy that I thought the prospect of arriving in the marina and having to moor up between two boats in the pitch dark would be rather foolish. Slow manoeuvring in a strong wind is not easy at the best of times and nobody will thank us for bashing around. So we resolved to stay where we were and leave before dawn the next day.
Comments