Paddo to Limehouse - Saturday 13th July

We were up before sparrows and slipped the mooring whilst the rest of the basin slept ... apart from the nutter next door with about 200 kilos of calor gas stored on the deck.  He is always walking around with his muzzled dog - I think he should muzzle himself, he has got some cracking scars on his head so perhaps that explains his odd behaviours!

It was far too early for the dogs they went back to sleep straight away.


Passing some nice places in Regents Park ...

The Zoo aviary ...

Into a deserted Camden Lock, which we were very happy about!

This is where it gets a bit bizarre ... whilst I was sitting in the lock waiting, I spotted this young girl walking past with a dog, who looked like Elaine's niece, Josie.  I called out her name ... it was Josie! She hasn't been to Camden for over a year, doesn't live in the area and just happened to be walking a dog for a lady that had broke her ankle.  It seems to be the way with us and Josie!  In May 2012 we came to London with the dogs ... we were in St James park on a bridge ... Elaine sent Josie a SMS to tell her we were in London.  Josie replied she was sunbathing in St James Park and could see us on the bridge! It was her first time to St James Park that day!  Strange or what?!

Whilst I was waiting for the next lock a couple of the old bill came over for a chat,  Bombo must have sensed who they were ... he didn't bark of grumble like he normally does - good boy, respecting the police!

Passing some space age units ...

St Pancras Cruising Club, with the Eurostar behind on its way to Europe ...

He's moved from Rickmansworth!

Approaching Kings Cross ...

We encountered a few early-morning drunken lads on one of the locks but Elaine soon had then working for her ... god knows what they got up to after we left ... we could see them hooning all over the gates they had just helped to close!

And finally into Limehouse basin, on what has been the hottest day since we have been here - just over 30 degrees and not a breath of air, such a shame you can't jump in the water to cool off.


The St Pancras Cruising club had been down to The Thames Barrier ... here some of them are in echelon stemming the tide waiting to come into the lock.

We were joined in the afternoon by Elaine's sister Julie and her husband Paul.  We had a chat on the boat then went to the Narrow  pub - a little later on Josie joined us. 

It was a very trendy pub, but with a great view of the river; it was a bit exy but we thought bugger it and tried to book a table in the restaurant part for dinner - it was fully booked!  We later found out that it was owned by Gordon Ramsey - no wonder it was exy!

Back to the yacht club we went for a really good and very inexpensive dinner.

Sammie doesn't get the facebook pose ... (takes after his Dad ... El)

This was our Limehouse mooring with Canary Wharf in the background ...

We walked Josie back to the railway station as she was going clubbing with her mates.  On the way we noticed these little bronze heads on the wharf edge, there were four of them.  This is Julie's foot beside it, so you can see it to scale!

So that's it we are up to date.

We are now waiting for our allocated time slot to go off up the Thames and through the centre of London.  The boat has been checked, anchor made ready, tow line ready, breakables stored.  The dogs and us are lifejacketed, the cats will have to share the life ring. The weather is very hot and humid, with zero wind, there is a fair chop on the river caused by all the trip boats.
This is it lads ... Over the Top!

Kate Update ...
There isn't one, as we have left Paddington.  You will have to read the papers and let us know!


PS:  For those of you who are following our whereabouts on Water Explorer - don't believe it for now because it has stopped working!  Work in progress as to whether it is our computer or our GPS ...