Captain's Log - Monday 11th October

We set off from Victoria park at 9.30am, with a 5 hour trip to Little Venice via Camden Market. Breakfast was again bacon and mushroom sandwich. We travelled through Hackney where we found lots of people willing to help with the locks. The locks in this area are quite difficult to use as they are large and very heavy and also have a tendency to keep opening again once shut.  Another warm cloudless sky, we now have had 8 sunny days in a row, and quite a good tan, must be global warming.

Apartment block with photo's in windows

Three abreast

We passed through Islington tunnel, which was a bit drippy, it seems to take forever to get to the end.

Islington Tunnel

Emerging from Islington Tunnel

Blue sky reflections in Regent's Park

At Camden there are two locks close together about 50 m apart, both raising us to a higher level. At the second lock there was very little water entering and also in the lock and we found ourselves slightly grounded even in the centre of the lock, we had to open the sluices to raise the whole 50 m stretch before we could fully move in, these really are miserable locks to operate and it took at least 30 minutes to complete.

Camden

Camden Market

Moored at Camden

Scooter used as dining seats 

Sarah arrived to meet us at Camden, Marilyn, Sarah and I then went to have lunch at the terrace bar just burgers, but I had a fab Pimms. The market was packed with lots of people in summer clothes enjoying the sun. Glyn and Janet had a nice Chinese from one of the take aways, followed by a Japanese. With that we all set off for Little Venice

Floating Chinese Restaurant in Regent's Park

As we passed through Regent's Park, we went by the zoo, past the giraffe house, they weren't out, and passed the Avery, with lots of bird noises from within.

The Snowden Avery at London Zoo

The Snowden Avery

Leaves from autumn trees

House in Regents Park

Little Venice

Little Venice

We arrived at Little Venice and moored up for a while. Sarah left for the theatre and Marilyn and Janet went off to catch the train before returning at the weekend. Glyn and I  pumped the boat out and filled with fresh water and then went on a couple of miles before mooring for the night near Sainsbury's, near Ladbroke Grove.

Tea was bread and cheese and Pimms for me and beer for Glyn. It seemed a very tiring day as the locks were a bit of a struggle, but traveling through Regent's Park was a nice experience.