On the move again

We are now on our way to a CUTWEB gathering at the Blue Lias pub (again).   Our route is the reverse of our trip there in April, i.e. Thames Oxford Canal and back via GU.   The tide at Brentford today was suitable for a 17:00 hrs locking out, so we left Harefield early, at 7:30, treated ourselves to a cooked breakfast at the lockside cafe by Cowley Lock and then a quick shopping expedition to Tesco at Bulls Bridge to stock up of essentials.  We paired up with Alan & Pam on nb "Dawn Chorus" for the Hanwell Flight and arrived at Brentford in good time to get tideway preparations done.   A few boats had gone down the gauging locks ahead of us, so we lingered a bit knowing that we would otherwise only be held up hovering in the wind above Thames Lock.  As it was we arrived just in time to join the last boat, nb Ataraxia, and set off up River on a 7.1m tide.  There  had been some sunshine earlier, but out on the River, the wind was very strong and a coat needed.  I wanted to give the engine a bit of an exercise, so wound it up to 1800 rpm and we were in Teddington in 40 minutes, joining the earlier Brentford Lockings in the lock. (Later, the washing up water was so hot it must have been near boiling!). Paying our £5.50 to the lock-keeper, we found a space on the new Teddington moorings and settled down to a night on the telly.    Unfortunately, it has to be reported, that one of the aerial reflectors fell off into the water.   No sign of the bottom, so that's that!   Good digital TV from Crystal Palace and 3G phone.