Back to Packet Boat

Canals today : Grand Union, Paddington Branch and Main Line

We did not need to be away too early today as we only have the level pound run back to Packet Boat. The day began chilly and overcast with a sharp wind and it remained that way until just before we moored when the sun emerged!

Before setting off we took the opportunity to have a chat with James and Doug on nb Chance who arrived after we did. We have corresponded via the internet and each others' blogs but our physical paths had yet to cross.

They invited us for coffee and we had a good chat about the Lee and Stort, the National Gallery, how long they have been narrow boating and about canals in general. They have a short time to fill in before they join with St Pancras Cruising Club for one of their joint Tideway excursions which gives an opportunity to do some of the more adventurous bits of the Thames, possibly including going through the Thames Barrier. They also hope to visit the Bow Back Rivers at some stage this season!

So, thanks for the coffee, chaps, (Alice really enjoyed her Caramel biscuit!) and also the interesting conversation. Hope our paths cross again sometime soon.

Eventually we left the basin behind and began the day-long trip back. Having done this a number of times in recent years there is a degree of familiarity about it but the chilly wind made it less pleasant than two weeks ago.

North Circular Aqueduct

However, the multitude of plastic bags have cleared - since we have not heard a credible explanation for their appearance when we came down, we cannot be sure whether they have settled on the bottom on their own or whether the weed harvester moored at Little Venice has been deployed. Whatever the cause, we had to make no trips into the weed hatch today compared with the multitude on the way down.

Alice spent quite a bit of the time bird spotting but she was amused when she heard that one was coming up that she had not seen before!

We were accompanied by a heron for some time but every effort to catch it on camera whilst standing by the edge of the water was foiled - the last time we best we could do was a fuzzy image of it flying away once more.

This corner, always a place that seems to catch floating rubbish, was almost clear today but when we came down it was so thick that the boat had a task to push its way through - another indication of how much has changed in two weeks.

We also saw several nesting coots with a clutch of eggs - again we had problems trying to photo them and this mother opted to get in the way at the last moment!

After reaching Bulls Bridge and turning onto the Main Line the sun came out and Alice spotted a couple of very new families on the water. This time just one of the photos did work!

After stopping briefly to pick up a paper, milk and some ice cream for dinner from Morrisons, we turned into the marina and onto our mooring pontoon.

17.6 miles - 0 locks