Sunshine cruising

After a 'day off' yesterday we now have a huge pile of washing to get dry and a bucketful of dandelion flowers soaking ready to make dandelion wine. The cats enjoyed a day of freedom and thankfully didn't bring any mice home.

We made a fairly late start this morning but when two boats that we suspect were on a stag weekend came past we decided that if they were up and on the move it must be getting late. The keg of beer on the back of each boat and the all male crew were a bit of a giveaway. We seem to have reached the cruising area for the hireboats from Oxfordshire Narrowboats, we have seen more of them than anything else.

We had some help at the first lift bridge of the day from a couple of walkers, very kind of them. Then, a little later, it was our time to be the good samaritans. The couple on the boat we followed through Somerton Deep Lock had engine problems just a bit further along the canal so we towed them to a suitable mooring spot. It isn't easy to tow with Merlin already in tow but we managed. The day was lovely for cruising, warm,mainly sunny and virtually windless. The canal follows the Cherwell valley fairly closely and tends to meander river-like through the Oxfordshire countryside.There is no shortage of mooring spots, the visitor moorings are well subscribed but if you just cruise five minutes or so further on you can moor in splendid isolation.

We have moored for the night in a lovely spot below Dashwood Lock, we have about twelve miles plus locks and lift bridges until we reach Oxford so only about five or six hours cruising over the next couple of days although the weather forecast has stolen my sunshine for Wednesday.

Today's journey 7.7 miles, 4 locks and 2 lift bridges

This year we have traveled 178.1 miles, 184 locks, 5 swing bridges, 3 lift bridge and 2 tunnels

In 2012 we traveled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels

In 2011 we traveled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we traveled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have traveled 2256.7 miles, 1945 locks, 116 swing bridges, 64 lift bridges and 73 tunnels