A strange thing to find next to one's boat

I got a surprise when I went to untie this morning. A woman in a bikini was lying on her back, sunbathing, right next to the boat. I was momentarily lost for words, she didn't look up from her newspaper, and the time for a greeting seemed to be gone. She ignored us as we left; I wonder if the boats just heading for the mooring thought we'd left a crew member behind. I didn't think it appropriate to take a photo (sorry to disappoint).

Last night nbs Ketura and Olivia breasted up to us; it was good to meet you, Christine and Sheila. We met up again this evening at the Five Miles from Anywhere pub (where we breasted up to Ketura).

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Returning along Burwell Lode after setting off we turned left onto the dead-end section of Reach Lode. This got quite narrow and seemed just as shallow as Wicken Lode. For some of the time we were brushing past reeds on both sides.

We collected plenty of broken - but long - reeds on the bow as we went along, despite earlier in the year having a piece of steel welded on to smooth off where the base plate jutted forward.

The end of the lode was marked by a weeping willow and a sign forbidding mooring unless pre-arranged with Reach Parish Council. This was right next to a GOBA mooring.

We turned right at the willow and nosed up as far as we could. A low bridge barred any further exploration.

We reversed back to the willow tree and winded, then retraced our steps to Upware Lock. On the way we passed the sunken boat which wasn't seen on the outward journey and was scraped over. It's more visible from this direction.

Through the lock we stopped at the pub, as described above. We patronised the place by enjoying drinks with Christine and Sheila.

It's been hot and sticky today - as I write this at 2250 it hardly seems to have cooled at all. Certainly not on the boat.

Walking along from the pub I saw a large collection of birds on electricity wires.

They don't appear to be swallows, but I'm no expert.

Identification, someone?

I have, at last, drawn up a schedule which takes us to St Neots when we need to be there. One highlight will be on Thursday when we pick up my cousin Victoria and her husband and give them a lift home to Godmanchester.

The challenges of Wicken Lode

We had an excellent spot in Ely, after the first night that is. Here we had a good view of the trains but were undisturbed by them.

We left at 1055, just before our 48 hours limit was up, and continued south on the Great Ouse. The structure at the entrance to Soham Lode doesn't appear to obstruct water or boats, but the weed looks forbidding. Oh, and there's a No Entry sign.

Before Pope's Corner, where the Cam joins the Great Ouse, we were overtaken by nb Cleddau.

We turned left onto the River Cam - still EA waters here - and in three miles turned left again into Upware Lock at the start of Reach Lode. This is an unusual lock in that it has a guillotine gate at each end - and there was hardly any difference in water level either side.

Having watered up at the second lock landing we continued a little further before stopping for lunch, breasting up to a boat on the EA moorings just before the entrance to Wicken Lode.

Entering Wicken Lode we were immediately into a very narrow and shallow channel. I thought we were probably getting weed round the prop, but going into astern every now and then didn't make much difference to our speed - or lack of it. We were down to 1.2 to 1.6 mph.

It was often tricky to see the channel, surrounded as we were by reeds and rushes.

Another hazard was the National Trust trip boat, which zoomed along powered by an electric-sounding outboard engine. The boat runs the length of Wicken Lode, winding at the junction with Reach Lode.

Here it is having just overtaken us on its way back to the end of the lode. We had to squeeze to the side to allow it to pass each time.

An hour and a mile-and-a-half after entering the lode we got to the end, where we winded, checked the prop (no weed) and returned slowly to Reach Lode. We encountered the trip boat again, meeting it at a blind bend on its way back. There was no contact, but it was close!

the end of Wicken Lode

It was a relief to get back onto the "main line" and achieve a speed of 3 mph.

Half a mile further on we turned left onto Burwell Lode.

Burwell Lode to the left; Reach Lode continues right

Our speed quickly dropped again as the channel narrowed and the weed made its presence felt. We made it to the end OK, though, winding where the lode splits in two and tying up on the EA mooring.

We ate tea sitting in shade on the bank, helped two boats tie up alongside us and walked into the large village of Burwell. The windmill looked spectacular in the evening sun. I've managed to exclude the housing estate which surrounds it from my photo.

Arriving back at the boat we were surprised to find a party of anglers ignoring the No Fishing sign and on the tiny bit of mooring in front of us. One younger member of the group was resting her feet on the gunwale. Cheek! They did quickly move back from the boat when they saw us, but carried on fishing.

Tomorrow we plan to go to the end of Reach Lode, and then we'll have to decide if we're going get a licence for the Cambridge end of the Cam.