Below Kiddlington Green Lock, Oxford Canal

The last day on the Thames and it was glorious.  I am always apprehensive on rivers, we seem to have done most of them in flood at some time or another and I don't like the idea of not being able to just stop and tie up (though you can't do that on some parts of our canals either).  But the Thames really is lovely when it's calm.

We managed to get through the arch on the right (it is skew to the river) and saw this lovely floating sort of shed/tent home.

The last lock for us on the river is manual, thankfully there was a lock keeper, though I quite like winding the great big wheels like on a ship.

We had shared several locks with another narrowboat  on the last stretch, when we got to Sheepwash Cut they turned off into the Oxford Canal while we went on the Dukes Cut.

Just as we were going through the last lock to get onto the canal it sailed past.  So that solved one question.  There is not difference in time whichever way you go.

For this card I covered the front of a white card blank with some floral paper, adding a diecut border piece about 2/3 down.  The decoupaged bear was fixed to look like it was lying on the border.

The sentiment was printed using a computer and matted onto pink and white card and several clear gems were added to the bottom right hand side.

Peele Aqueduct - Macclesfield Canal

 The end of the tunnel!

We were waiting at the south portal of the Harecastle Tunnel ready for the opening at 8am.  For the first time ever we got to go through on the first run.  Usually we get there just as it opens and they let the boats through from the other side first.

There was one boat in front, a working boat on its way to Ellesmere Port

Etruria - Caldon Canal

 Third lock up on the Stoke flight.  I always look out for this one when I'm passing on the train.

Dislike these locks, the first two are dark, damp and slippery (not helped by being joined by a bloke with a can of beer and shouting on his telephone).  The locks are all very deep, and then the last three have heavy paddle gear (you always know when you are near a CRT yard.)

The top lock paddles made a really big vortex when both top paddles were opened.

We stopped off at the boatyard hoping to book in for the night for some electricity to do the washing (and for a safe Saturday night in Stoke).  We had to wait 1 1/2 hours then then they said there was no electricity available, so we bought some coal and winded the boat and came back to the Caldon, taking on water and then mooring up on the visitor moorings there. 

We have only been hit once by a Black Prince boat (so far), as there has only been one going past, that's 100%.  They come out of the marina with a member of staff to show them the ropes and he then get's straight off.  No help through their first lock or anything.

Tomorrow I have the 2 stair lock first thing.  Great!

Tie a yellow ribbon.....  I Cuttlebugged a piece of white card and stuck the piece of stick to one side.  I made 2 small holes near the top and threaded the yellow ribbon through and tied it in a knot.  Then the panel was stuck down onto a yellow card blank.

The sentiment was done on the computer and matted onto more yellow card.