A damp start to our Oxford cruise

Monday 18^th May; Calcutt marina to Napton bridge, no 111

After a later start than usual, the weather was pretty dismal at times as we drove up, and we unloaded the car in light rain.  At least it was only two steps from the boot to the stern deck!  I took Jess for a quick leg-stretch in the fields while Dave settled up for our stay in the office.  We were on our way at about 4.30, but couldn’t even get out of the marina until the boat descending the bottom of the three Calcutt locks had passed, and the two waiting below had gone in.  Oh well.  We were pleased to be joined by a hire-boat which had just left from Stockton Top.  It rained, so no photos, and it was slow going up the locks as there were those boats ahead of us, and one ahead of them too.  At the junction we turned right onto the Oxford canal, towards Napton, with the intention of mooring well before the village.  It was cold cruising and we stopped soon after bridge 111, Napton bridge.  We had driven over it on our way to the marina.  In spite of the delays at the locks we had only been going for an hour.

 A bit drizzly - I took this early next morning

When Dave went to turn the stern gland, he realised that although the engineer at Calcutt had repacked the stern gland (unlike your average boater they have the skills to do that without taking the boat out of the water) he hadn’t filled the stern tube – well Dave hadn’t asked him to.  There was enough grease to last a week or so, but that is something that will need doing soon.

Judging by the boats passing us on their way to Napton, it had been changeover day at Stockton Top and Braunston, so we’ll give them time to start the lock flight before we start tomorrow’s cruising!  It was so cold this evening that we lit the fire.

2 miles, 3 locks