Low bridges bring Olympic rewards

Having spent weeks getting to London today we started to move away. First, as we were next to Spey
overnight, we watched Stephen start its Bolinder engine. One of the key operations was the heating of the "hot bulb" with a blowtorch. The flame is visible to the left.

When the bulb was hot enough it was time to spin the engine. This is done by foot, pressing down hard on a retractable pin on the flywheel.

After several attempts the engine fired and kept going. It was time for us to get going, so we reversed away and turned into the Limehouse Cut.

This was almost entirely covered with duckweed. Immediately past the Bow flyover (over which I have driven countless times) we turned right onto part of the network of waterways which surround the Olympic Park. We shall be passing through the two bookable locks after the IWA festival, but for now we were travelling on the Bow Back River and City Mills River which connect directly with the Lee Navigation. Here is City Mill Lock hiding under all the blocks of flats.

Round a bend or three and under a low bridge carrying the Northern Sewer Outfall …

… we came to the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Olympic Stadium, now the home of West Ham United FC. Yes, we came under that low bit.

Whatever you think of the Orbit, it's certainly striking.

Carpenter's Road Lock is the other lock we shall use after the festival.

All too soon we were back on the "main line" of the Lee Navigation and ascending Old Ford Lock operated for us by a volunteer.

A short distance north of the lock I saw some powerful lights suspended from cherry pickers. The lights, mimicking sunlight, were shining through windows in the top floor of a run-down-looking office building. There must have been an expensive film production in progress.

Old Ford was the only lock with a volunteer lockkeeper but most of the others we passed through today were paired, one being manually operated and the other powered. I believe this is Tottenham Lock, the powered one. The manual lock is out of shot to the left.

At subsequent locks we made sure the boat was the same side as the control panel!

Other things to mention: the southern end of the Lee is one long - very long - line of moored boats. They go on for miles. I forgot to note where they began to spread out, but it wasn't very far from where we are now, which is at the Navigation Inn at Ponders End. The duckweed must have petered out somewhere too as there's none here. We passed Paul on Waterway Routes and exchanged greetings. (Which reminds me: I must write a post on how useful his mapping system is, verging on indispensable.)

The forecast rain held off apart from one very short shower. Until we'd tied up at the pub when, with excellent timing, it hammered down.

We had a drink in the pub but didn't eat there. It didn't seem the cleanest place. Where we sat there was a vermin bait trap on the carpet, covered in cobwebs. Oh, and there was no real ale. Tomorrow, wind permitting, we intend to stop at the Fish and Eel at Dobb's Weir.