Got back to the boat around 15:00 after a couple of days at home. Came from Chatham via the Elizabeth line. Just one platform change at Abbey Wood. Very easy, but all in all very slow. Returning to the boat it is always so reassuring to know that the electricity is still on and the fridge OK, remembering one year when the leakage current breaker must have gone without me noticing before leaving the boat. The smell on returning was awful, and of course everything had to be chucked and the fridge given a good clean out to get rid of the smell. All well this time to my relief. The plan is to leave for Henley tomorrow morning, hopefully after a pumpout. Tonight just a sweep though and tidy to get ready for the next chapter. Still no takers for crew for the rest of the Thames including London, so I will take the shortcut at Brentford and then have a couple of lazy days to get back on schedule. Incidentally this is a massive marina and very tightly packed. I am lucky because my berth is just an almost direct reverse from the arrival pontoon, so no manoeuvring really. The pontoon is very short, so to keep the boat aligned, use has to be made of the dolphin out near the bow and not easy to reach from the well deck. However, using the fender fixing point and some other bits of rigging, a satisfactory result was obtained. How difficult it would be in a strong wind! Fortunately it was very still when I arrived thank goodness. Makes me appreciate how lucky I am at Barby (and indeed was at Brinklow).
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