Thames at Richmond
After Osterley Lock we manage to pick up a large sheet of builder’s film around Albert’s propeller. It took some time to get the prop clear but Miss Matty waited for us. We turned down the Paddington Arm at moored up at Willowtree Marina at about 5:30PM. It was great to use the facilities of the marina, including the showers. It turned out that the berth we were using was used until recently by Lee Pascal as his permanent mooring. In 2003, we went down the Thames with Lee and had some great times. It appears he is now continuous cruising.
Interesting boat descending Osterley Lock
On Wednesday (13/8) the plan was to meet our friends Anne & Edward Winter in Little Venice. We had a relatively uneventful trip down to London, except there was a stiff headwind and we had to overtake two very slow boats. Both boats waved us past but one accelerated as we overtook them.
We met Miss Matty as we approached Little Venice and they helped us moor up. We double moored against NB Amphora who left in the late afternoon. We then moored up against the bank and Miss Matty moored up outside us. The Winters arrived mid afternoon and we spent an interesting late afternoon and evening around Paddington visiting the new developments. It was very windy in the Paddington Basin where the waves were significant and some boats were adding some extra lines to avoid being blown away.
We decided to stay on in Little Venice on Thursday (14/8). We had a great day out visiting London Zoo, travelling there by Waterbus.
Going to London Zoo by Waterbus
Since it was at least twenty years since we last visited the zoo it was great to see how it had developed. Some of the displays were just fabulous. A display on leaf-cutter ants where they walked along an exposed rope was particularly wonderful. You could really get up close to the ants and observe their individual behaviour.
Leaf Cutter Ants at work
The larger mammals, including the gorillas were also intersting in their new more "open" enclosure. Tomorrow we leave for Limehouse Basin.
