Unexploded Grenade

Saturday and we are up to date with the blog again.

Look at that shine, all the way along (my arms ache!) 

And here's our overnight view. Well, not quite the overnight view, when I got up at 5 with a touch of cramp, I couldn't see any of that. But what I did see was the Plough, Orion, Cassiopeia, the Pole Star, Venus and many other stars. A clear night with little light pollution.

This is the approach to Aynho Wharf, a long line of residential moorings. The rule is to pass at tickover so that you don't swing their boats around. In the old days I would quite often get an anguished cry "Slow down!" But, not anymore. In this respect, and this respect only, I have grown older and wiser. 

There, it's not only humans who like to go in the canals. 

Have just passed through Nell Bridge Lock and this is the C&RT depot with all the bits and bobs for canal repairs. 

After that, the Pig Place for lunch. Great idea, you place your order, they give you an order number, you text them your order number and name, they text you when your food's ready. Track and trace all covered. 

And here it is. 

And there's always someone around to help you out if necessary. 

Now, how's this for a mode of transport? The owner and wife set off in it while we were having our lunch. 

And a sort of thank you picture for the lady who allowed us to tie up alongside her boat while we had our lunch and went shopping in the farm shop.

And, there she is again, Asklepios. 

At this point, the water in the canal seemed much lower than in the previous sections. So we decided to push on to Banbury a) to empty the loo and b) to go through the lock and get back into deeper water. 

Arrived at the facilities to be greeted by a policeman and a policewoman who advised us to "Move along now!" as there was a hand grenade under the bridge and if it went off while we were emptying the loo, then we would really be in the... 

Although it was probably only a training grenade, we took their advice and moved along. Now moored in Banbury, almost where we moored on the way down. 

Steak night tonight - yummy.