Wallingford

Walked in to Pangbourne this morning.  The main street is surprisingly close.  Found a Coop supermarket almost immediately for a few essentials.   Then, at 8:55 we set off for Whitchurch Lock and onwards up the river.  At first only rowers were out - all girls.   Then Goring Lock where the left bow thruster stopped working for good this time and we were stuck behind the wing wall.  A strong push off at the back, and reverse enabled me to swing the boat round.   At Cleeve Lock the lock kepper turned the lock round ahead of us for a trip boat.  It is a long drag up from Cleeve Lock to Wallingford making slow progress against the current - all in all two hours for a mere 5 miles.  At North Stke there is an island and the channel makes a small zig zag so that the river ahead is obscured.  Approaching the bend a large cruiser appeared and turned as one would expect to pass port to port.  Before that had passed another appeared, likewise and then another except that this one didn't turn straight away as the others had done.  We were well to right of centre so expected it to turn soon, but it didn't and kept going straight on seemingly heading for the right bank looking as it it was going to cross our path.  I put the gear in reverse fearing a collision and turned to the right and the cruiser then did a sudden right turn just before coming right ahead.   Its bow missed us but the stern was, of course coming round and we struck the side of the boat a glancing blow and ended up in the trees ahead surrounded by so much blue smoke from this cruiser that I thought for a moment that the boat was on fire.  Amazingly there appeared to be no damage to either party - it turned out to be a steel cruiser.   They admitted their fault and were a bit shaken.   They offered no explanation for their action.   Had it been a plastic boat it would have been severely damaged I reckon.  

Wallingford moorings

Arriving at Wallingford we found new moorings on the right (new to us anyway) £5 a night.  Nuggler cab be seen in the photo on the right next to the two white boats.   Behind the trees is a play fountain and an open air swimming pool, both packed with children on what has turned out a warm sunny day.