Not wanting to get too far ahead of myself (the planned arrival day at Beale Park is Thursday), I had a big breakfast and delayed departure until about 8:45 by attempting to clean the brass. No trouble with the locks now, the system is working well and I am roping fore and aft. At Old Windsor Lock the heavens opened with a short heavy shower. Some Australians on a Penton Hook Hire boat were very worried that a plastic container on their cruiser stern deck was full last night but empty this morning. Turns out it was the expansion tank for the engine cooling system. Never heard of that being outside the engine compartment before. At Romney Lock I was sufficiently organised to be able to offer them some help with the ropes. The boat was all over the place as you might expect with novices. Well! We have all been there at one time. I was dreading Boulters lock. It is deep and long with an end fill that tends to cause surging. I asked the lock-keeper to give me a bit of time to get sorted out and he was very helpful. I got the centre rope tied off at about 60 degrees to take any forward surge (generally the norm) and had control with a very long stern rope and constant adjusting of the bow rope. A doddle, in fact the lock-keeper observed that I seemed to have a relaxed time in contrast with some other single handers, who try to insist on just a centre rope and end up fighting it. In Cliveden Reach, an opportunity arose to moor in one of the short bits of cleared bank in the woods. Usually these are all taken, but the setting is magical. Went off then and toured the gardens.
Pictures: Left: The mooring. Centre: Cliveden House and lawn.
Right: View of the river from the top of the steps leading down from the lawn.
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