Invasion of the Plastics

"Schools out for Summer" and the cruisers have emerged on mass - both private and hire boats.

On Friday "The Royals" left us to continue going up the Cam to Cambridge - they wished they hadn't bothered as apparently visitor mooring there is a disgrace. We met some other boaters that day  who said exactly the same thing.  Ken & Sandra didn't stay!  Unfortunately they also developed a problem with their alternator and have gone back to Ely to get it fixed.  Hopefully it won't be too difficult to put right.
John has repaired another window so that is now 4/9.

We went onto Reach Lode so that we could fill up with water and moored for the night at the junction with Wicken Lode which is very narrow and quite weedy.  We walked through part of Wicken Fen as far as the Visitor Centre.

The entrance to Wicken Lode and Wicken Fen Nature Reserve.                                                                            

We had a very social weekend!  We just about managed to squeeze onto the GOBA mooring by the Lazy Otter pub on the Old West River section of the Ouse and, on the Saturday, we were joined by two of John's old school pals - Gerald Cole and Brian ("Mac") McIvor.  Mac and John have not seen other for about 35 years!!  Mac's wife, Lynn, came as did Sam and Jenny - Gerald's son and daughter-in-law who only got married a week ago!!  We had a really nice day.

We stayed put and on Sunday Rodney, Gill and Will came to find us bringing post and for me ............... a new carpet sweeper because, as a result of having an O.C.D. about carpets .............. I've worn the old one out!!  We had lunch in the pub and, again, had a really nice day.  In a few weeks time Gill and Will are coming to stay for a whole week!

We have moved on upstream a little towards St Ives.  The Old West River has been narrow and shallow and hardly flowing because of the shortage of rain we have had.  The muddy shoreline, however, has been popular with liitle egrets which a few years ago were really quite rare in this country.  They have successfully re-colonised throughout the U.K.

Tonight we are quite literally 'stuffed in the reeds'!  Tomorrow we will move on just a short distance to Hermitage Lock and Earith so that 'The Royals' can catch us us ............... should they want to!!!!
Maisie is missing Ken!