WAKAROA2015: Hampton Court to Datchet, Windsor

Monday, 10 August 2015

Hampton Court to Datchet, Windsor

9 August - Visitors on board

Woke 6.45 to a beautiful day on River Thames. Batteries are low so need a good charge.

Our mooring spot in Hampton Court

Walked into the Village for supplies and looked back to our mooring

We waited for Eliza, Troy and Harry to turn up and right on the dot they did - we set off up stream at 10am straight into our first lock of the day. Large locks with keepers and lots of boats, some steel but a lot more plastic fantastics. Locks are full both up and down with at least 7 boats in each lift.

We cruised along in fine weather and looked at the sights of houses, rich and not so rich. Boat clubs, yards, farms and open parks.

Heading into our first lock

Bikes on board and herb garden moved to roof for day

Eliza getting the hang of holding the boat in the lock

The guys driving Pete up front talking to us

We stopped in Staines for lunch at the Thames Lodge- is a hotel not a pub but has meals and moorings right outside with great tables. Pete had a burger 6/10 and I had salmon again 6/10, not as goods as the day before. The company though was 10 out of 10 - thanks guys for lunch and joining us for the day, look forward to catching up again soon.

Time to get the bikes off and head home

Our visitors left us to bike back to Harry's and we carried on towards Windsor.

No moorings on the left hand side of river (it belongs to the Queen). We were following Nb Rosella with Colin and Deborah on board and saw them heading to a wall with rings so we followed them. They got on but we ran aground, just in front of them but the stern is on the wall the bow is aground about 2 metres out. Hey we are moored, if the river drops overnight we are really buggered otherwise we will pole ourselves off in the morning.