Saturday 8 October 2011

Packet Boat Marina

We set off in good time as Christine had an afternoon appointment, along with Joanna and Ellie, to try out the new fashion of having feet treated by hungry fish.

It was initially a grey day, but did brighten up later although the temperature continues to become more seasonal.

We had just over two hours cruising left before we reached our final destination for this trip and our new winter mooring at Packet Boat Marina at the Cowley Peachey Junction between the Grand Union and the Slough Arm.

There was mooring spot free at Bull's Bridge so Mike pulled in for a quick trip into tesco, mainly for a paper (we have been collecting this week's 'free' CD's of children's stories which may come in handy in the future) but also eventually managed to find the sunflower bread that we enjoyed a few days ago. Oh, and some croissants as well!

Whilst Mike was in the store, Christine was chatting to a man from another moored boat who was not sure whether to call an engineer to look at his alternator which seemed to be giving a warning, even though everything was charging properly.


On the way down we noticed (and photo-ed) a side arm with a plaque, close to the Nestle factory, but were unable to read the details. This time one of the zoom pictures was readable.


From Bull's Bridge it was just five minutes over the hour before we turned into the Slough Arm (the marina entrance is about 100m down the arm). We passed the same points of interest as on the way down but perhaps we have room this time to note a group of apartment blocks just north of the Nestle factory which are part complete and occupiedbut also partly under construction.


We eventually settled Take Five into its new mooring position - strangely only a few slots away from another boat with the same name! (There are several boats registered with this name on the system - when we return home perhaps we will look up the exact number!) Mike sorted out the electricity hook-up cable and it will seem strange to be able to have the 240v supply on without worrying about the batteries!

We were in good time and after lunch set off on what proved to be a 25 minute drive to Bolton Road in Windsor - this is what we had hoped for when we opted for this mooring.

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