Preparing for tomorrow's tidal journey

I was ready with the camera for the view of the church as we left our mooring at Hemingford Grey this morning.

We had plenty of time today as we only had to get to Earith, about four hours' cruise. We decided to stop, therefore, at St Ives on the way. As we approached we had this sight of the town over the flood plain. I don't think the sky was really as dark as this - I must have misadjusted the camera.

We turned into the backwater at St Ives for water, then winded at the marked turning point before tying up for coffee. We got round all right, but anything much more than our 55 feet would have had problems.  Coffee turned into lunch after some shopping in the town.

The reach below St Ives Lock was very rural, as most of the river is, and we saw two or three kingfishers. This one obligingly stayed in place on a branch as we went by; this blurred effort was the best photo I could get.

I'm sure these heiffers (if that's what they are) were in the same place when we came upstream a couple of weeks ago.

Having descended Brownshill Lock with another (50') narrowboat we soon arrived at Earith and the 48 hour moorings at Westview Marina. I had previously noted the existence of a curry house/pub combo in the village so I walked up to check it was open. Having done that, and obtained a menu, I came back and organised a drinks party on the pontoon for the five boats including us who are going down the New Bedford River tomorrow. The crews of two of the boats didn't join us so here are Marjorie (nb Constable), Jan, Dave (nb Constable), Stephen and Gwyneth (both nb Chyandour).

Drinks over, we all went to the Crown as previously recce'd and enjoyed a decent curry.

Tomorrow we all have an early start as we need to be at Salters Lode Lock around the time of high tide there, which is 1030. Salters Lode is more than 20 miles downstream, so Stephen has calculated we need to leave here at 0600to be sure of being able to pass through Salters Lode on the level, i.e. with the gates open at each end of the lock. I think 0600 is too early, not because I want a lie-in, but because I don't want to meet the incoming tide too late in the journey when the flow will be large. We are always one of the slowest boats on the river as I don't feel the need to push the engine too hard, so I am expecting to drop behind the convoy. We will see what happens. I am looking forward to the excitement, despite people's dire warnings about the boredom of mile after mile of dead straight river with banks too high to see anything beyond.

Watch this space tomorrow to find out how we got on. Now I have to tear myself away from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 which is tonight's Prom concert and get some sleep.