We left at 7:00 am. Shortly after we arrived last evening, as forecast, the wind got up. The canal which had been smooth was running with white topped waves and the boat was banging against an underwater shelf. Even the large fenders didn't seem to work and we had to resort to the wheelbarrow wheel which I normally use in the marina. Most of the night the rear doors were rattling away and the rain which must have been heavy if I could hear it. So there was some concern that we might be being stupid continuing with the cruise having had bad experiences in high winds on the Regent's Canal in the past. However, Sunday's forecast for the river was quite good and today was showing heavy showers with the worst of the gales passed. So we set off, again in the dawn twighligt. The weather gave us no problems, save for one heavy shower at Camden. After Victoria Park the canal opens out, losing the tall buildings which up to now had shielded it and yes the wind was waiting for us - and the rain which set in really heavily until Limehouse. Johnson's Lock is the worst as there is a street of high rise flats close along the towpath with little on the opposite side. This seems to funnel the wind making mooring up for the lock tricky. We reached Limehouse at 13:20. At Limehouse we found a spot on the wall next to the lock and again had to deploy the large fenders to stop the boat surging back and forward and banging against the wall. A visit to the lock office confirmed our arrangements for the morning but the river looked very threatening. For the evening we tried the gastropub "Narrow Street" for the first time. Nice food but very expensive for our tastes.
Thoughts on visitor moorings on the Regent Canal.
We expected to have no problem mooring at Paddington as this is a 48 hour limited mooring and we are past the high season, however it was almost full. Islington Visitor moorings were a joke I have never ever seen any possibilities for mooring here as a visitor. They seem to be packed with resident boaters. Likewise Victoria Park where the moored boats packed the bank on both sides of the bridge right up and onto the lock landing leaving us no alternative but to put the boat into the "armpit" of the lock gate to get off to work the lock. This means for the most part that as a visitor one is denied the opportunity of actually visiting. The canal becomes just a transit route.
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