Lyra's Travels

Jacqui at the helm!

It's been one of those days! Set off this morning and straight away the engine spluttered and died. Luck that it happened when it did because we could still get it back to the side and fix the problem. As I suspected it was a blocked fuel filter in the lift pump. This is an occasional problem and luckily I've found a supply of these small filters. If you buy them from the Vetus dealers they're a right rip off but get them on the web and the price is much more reasonable.

Having fixed that problem we set off and at the second lock I jumped off to fill the lock and open the gates. Cath got caught out by the weir stream current and was in all sorts of trouble. Luckily I managed to get back on board and sort it out, but I had to turn the boat in a full circle to do it (there was a winding hole at the lock mouth). Later on we came across a couple of BW workboats cutting up a tree so we had to wait until they had moved their boats out of the way. It must be very frustrating for them having to stop and move when a boat comes along.

We have decided not to carry on to Aldermaston tonight and have moored up at Woolhampton where we will no doubt be BBQing tonight.

Jacqui had a go at steering the boat today, the proof is in the picture.

Here's our position tonight:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.395688,-1.181427&spn=0.002219,0.005681&t=h&z=18