Hurley

A clear blue sky promised a lovely day although it was very cold.  Cold air streaming off the meadows was mixing with the warm moist air over the water and creating a low lying mist which in some cases was rising in swirls.  It was just like cruising above the clouds.  Whitchurch Lock was unmanned as we reached there about 08:15.  It takes about 25 minutes to turn around and descend an old unautomated lock by winding the handles.  We were joined at Mapledurham, now thankfully manned,  by two cruisers.  Then the long haul to Reading and Caversham Lock, deep in shade and cold out of the warm sunshine.  Tesco moorings were less than half occupied, so a brief stop here to restock. We continued on past Henley.  I thought it best to call Brentford now and book our passage on Sunday.  Bad news!  Sunday is the one day of the year that the Thames Barrier is being tested and so there will be no water and passage will be impossible.  Just our luck, so now we must seriously slow down.  With that in mind we decided to stop at Hurley, below the lock.  It is £4.00 a night and further on moorings are, in our experience, a bit haphazard.   Shortly after stopping, clouds appeared and the wind is getting up.  Tomorrow is forecast stormy.