Back to Petroc at last

No boat pictures yet....all to follow later this month!!

At least we are back if not actually cruising yet.

We have taken the good ship down to Tooleys Boatyard for blacking and sorting out the water tank.

She had weathered her prolonged stay in Cropredy Marina well apart from the fact that everything inside is dusty and grubby.  

Clive Mant, who came and did work on her over the winter before lockdown and then came to do some pre season checks on her, sadly found that water from the water tank was a no no.    Despite his efforts no water was forthcoming and it was decided that after 13 years the integral tank probably needed attention.   Luckily for us Tooleys had a slot and are not only able to fit her in for this but have also brought forward the blacking they were going to be doing in October.   

So a quick trip to unload our belongings and then down to Banbury.   We set off about 10.30 which is much later than our usual time of departure so had a very very very slow trip....definitely back to life in the slow lane.   Only 4 locks to do but about 6 boats ahead of us and only 1 behind.

Still, it was  a lovely day and we were back on the water. 

An unpleasant shock on arrival in the centre of Banbury.   What was a very congenial mooring spot is now beset by huge building works.   We can only hope that when complete things will improve.

We had no option but to moor there as we needed to be positioned for Tooleys to take her into the dry dock on Monday morning early.   In fact we thought we were lucky to find a space.......but that could be because it was not the best place to moor any longer.

An unexpected find outside Tooleys.........who should we find moored there but the Millie M with Maffi and Mollie.

We now are residing with friends in Oxfordshire until the work is complete, we hope by Friday.