28th Sept Saturday
Olly, Fran and Dan joined us for a trip. The Frolly came by bike - we loaded these on Ani's roof and set off. Great to have them with us with all their enthusiasm and interest. First set of locks is at Camden where we were gongoozled by a great number of people! The locks have fences around them with gates you need your BW key to unlock. I guess this is because viewers would crowd the place otherwise - dangerous. Camden market was thronging of course, it being Saturday and Olly managed to dive off and buy us all a piece of pizza to (attempt) to eat whilst winding the lock gates. Neither of the boys were especially pleased to be learning the lock procedure in a goldfish bowl - it is horrible being scrutinised. But it was also fun and Dan really got into it I think. Not so sure about Olly! and Fran and I found the winding too hard on a couple of them. I definitely needed their help with gates which were too heavy for me once again. We eventually locked through with another boat with a crew of 3, 'Wanderer' - who were really friendly. It's live-aboard owner has since gone out of Limehouse onto that big scary expanse of Thames and downstream to South Dock to have some work done on the boat. Given the speed of the craft out there, I don't envy her, but I know Pete would enjoy the challenge given half the chance.
I spent lots of time in the bow this trip with the boys and Fran. Pete kindly taking most of the driving so I could catch up on news from the three of them. They obviously knew so much of the scenery going by - places they visit and have lived close to. Fran and I managed to miss some wart hogs in Regents Park zoo whilst making a cup of tea inside!! Don't think that's much of a loss though! Again I am fascinated by London's rough and smart side by side - places where a grotty canalside building has been tarted up to provide a funky cafe or bar. We all enjoyed Islington tunnel, closing the cover so that we were protected from drips. Olly checking for rats all the way through. Towards the end of our journey the canal got particularly grim - we have had to stop several times for Pete to free the prop of plastic bags and even a chiffon scarf! Canals are still seen as a dumping ground it would seem.
Then just when you think it's totally depressing you arrive in Limehouse Basin, which is very grand and open. Dan knew of a bar and a pub on the Thames and once we'd moored we walked down to the first and then on to The Grapes, a tiny old pub on the water that apparently according to Dan, Ian Mckellan rescued from demolition. Glad he did as it had great atmosphere. You can imagine the boatmen drinking here after delivering cargo to the warehouses.
We came back to the boat to eat where it was cosy and warm after a rather cool day. The boys and Fran left around 10 - setting a race between them as they live near each other in North London. Would the Frolly on their bikes beat Dan who had 3 trains to catch? Yes is the answer, but Olly and Fran got wet in the rain!
This was a very special day for me. It was a joy to share this experience with a team of young, enthusiastic help and to have lots of laughs with 3 lovely people.
Olly, Fran and Dan joined us for a trip. The Frolly came by bike - we loaded these on Ani's roof and set off. Great to have them with us with all their enthusiasm and interest. First set of locks is at Camden where we were gongoozled by a great number of people! The locks have fences around them with gates you need your BW key to unlock. I guess this is because viewers would crowd the place otherwise - dangerous. Camden market was thronging of course, it being Saturday and Olly managed to dive off and buy us all a piece of pizza to (attempt) to eat whilst winding the lock gates. Neither of the boys were especially pleased to be learning the lock procedure in a goldfish bowl - it is horrible being scrutinised. But it was also fun and Dan really got into it I think. Not so sure about Olly! and Fran and I found the winding too hard on a couple of them. I definitely needed their help with gates which were too heavy for me once again. We eventually locked through with another boat with a crew of 3, 'Wanderer' - who were really friendly. It's live-aboard owner has since gone out of Limehouse onto that big scary expanse of Thames and downstream to South Dock to have some work done on the boat. Given the speed of the craft out there, I don't envy her, but I know Pete would enjoy the challenge given half the chance.
I spent lots of time in the bow this trip with the boys and Fran. Pete kindly taking most of the driving so I could catch up on news from the three of them. They obviously knew so much of the scenery going by - places they visit and have lived close to. Fran and I managed to miss some wart hogs in Regents Park zoo whilst making a cup of tea inside!! Don't think that's much of a loss though! Again I am fascinated by London's rough and smart side by side - places where a grotty canalside building has been tarted up to provide a funky cafe or bar. We all enjoyed Islington tunnel, closing the cover so that we were protected from drips. Olly checking for rats all the way through. Towards the end of our journey the canal got particularly grim - we have had to stop several times for Pete to free the prop of plastic bags and even a chiffon scarf! Canals are still seen as a dumping ground it would seem.
Then just when you think it's totally depressing you arrive in Limehouse Basin, which is very grand and open. Dan knew of a bar and a pub on the Thames and once we'd moored we walked down to the first and then on to The Grapes, a tiny old pub on the water that apparently according to Dan, Ian Mckellan rescued from demolition. Glad he did as it had great atmosphere. You can imagine the boatmen drinking here after delivering cargo to the warehouses.
We came back to the boat to eat where it was cosy and warm after a rather cool day. The boys and Fran left around 10 - setting a race between them as they live near each other in North London. Would the Frolly on their bikes beat Dan who had 3 trains to catch? Yes is the answer, but Olly and Fran got wet in the rain!
This was a very special day for me. It was a joy to share this experience with a team of young, enthusiastic help and to have lots of laughs with 3 lovely people.
What a fabulous day you must have had, the photos say it all. I had not heard the word ' gongoozler' and was amazed when I googled it. What a wonderful language English is and your grasp of vocabulary is as vast as I first remember it to be when we were 16. Looking forward to the next instalment.
ReplyDeleteJust had a darned good read of your adventures from Bray to Petite Venice. Good stuff, and welcome photos. Would have liked to have seen the Austin Seven and Norton! Must be interesting to see Londres from canal-side rather than traffic-side. Boogie on babes!
ReplyDelete