Oxford Canal:Brinklow and end of cruise

A blue sky morning.  A routine departure, the 180 turn onto the N Oxford with its stop lock and then a straight run through back to Brinklow.   There ceertainly is a number of offside vegetations issues building up.  Some is due to small trees/bushes falling over the cut no doubt due to wind damage, but there was a disconcerting protrusion of vegetation by the abutments of Stone Bridge (9) which doesn't help visibility on this tricky bend.  Worse though was the long standing near obstruction of the canal south of the M6 motorway bridge which is now one way for about 50 yards.  (See photo)  Finally reaching Brinklow there was the usual issue of wind at these open moorings.  There is a way of using the wind which was blowing diagonally across the moorings, by setting up the boat position ahead clear of the pontoon, then waiting for the wind to blow it back before gunning reverse and getting between the boats in front of our space.   The biggest struggle was pulling the boat onto the pontoon itself.  I doubt that it would have been possible using just a centre rope.