Reading, new canoe

1st August
We moved on from Sonning to Reading, moored temporarily before the K&A entrance so that Pete could test drive a new (second hand) canoe. He paddled off in his racing kayak to Marsports and whilst he was trying out others the heavens opened! Eventually the decision was made and he traded his old kayak for a new more stable one. It is an almost unmentioned fact that having reached a certain age and no longer racing, paddling in Chichester harbour instead when not on these river and canal travels, he needs a different style of boat. To my untrained eye this one looks much like the last only slightly wider - the only newly outstanding feature is the top surface has sparkling glitter in it!!

We continued on to moor in Pangbourne - grabbing the last mooring in the long row of boats and having to hang the stern out as the bank is so irregular. Our neighbour remarked that it wasn't as crowded last night and that several boats had left this morning, hmmmm, giving himself away that he was staying on a 24hour mooring for 48? A pair of narrowboats abreast further down on this same stretch have been here since we moored on our outward trip. One of the boats was being kitted out with furniture at that time, the owners lugging beds and wardrobes (?) across the meadows. I presume they have some kind of deal going to be allowed to stay here this long, but it does niggle when boaters take up visitor moorings for long stretches as it is flouting the rules and really unfair on those that stick by them.

Moan over. It turned out to be a reasonably warm evening, although still windy, so Pete paddled off in glittering glory, whilst I read my book.


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