Here we go again

After a couple of days below Banbury's Samuelson Bridge - a pretty good 14D mooring for access to the station and Morrisons -we needed to move.

Banbury Tramway permit moorings

No, not further south. We had to wind, as we had a date with a new bilge pump in Banbury! So despite the gusty wind and with the brief spells of sunshine we tootled down to the winding hole.

Final manoeuvre before heading north

There was some off-side tree management going on below. Banbury Town Council obviously thought it was time to tidy up the small park beside the canal. Take note BW - there needs to be a lot of this on the South Oxford if narrowboats are to continue to pass each other in the busy season!

So we were off, back the way we came, calling in at the sani-station before the lock. Again Banbury Council were at it - a firm was grit blasting the bridge there to eliminate the grafitti so we had to work around them!

Back we go again

Once past the lift bridge the wind was so strong, I ended up against the narrowboats on Tooley's wharf waiting for John to pick up the bilge pump - a good job no other moving boats were around as I effectively blocked the canal!
We moored opposite where we were at the weekend and John set to with the new bilge pump - successfully, despite being handicapped by his size (hrumph! ed.) in the engine hole. We didn't think of that when we designed it! (Maybe I wasn't that big then? ed.)
As we sat eating my choc-orange cake with a strawberry and our mugs of tea, John checked our journey stats on waterexplorer. Wait for it ....

So far this month we have travelled one and a half miles - going nowhere! Hey ho!

Samuelson Bridge to Tom Rolt Bridge

1 hour 26 minutes, 1.04 miles, 1 lock