28 December 2004 - Grand Union/Oxford Canal
(4 miles, 6 locks, 3 engine hours)

No photos of this trip - I was too busy supervising the locking or cooking! The crew only managed to take some fairly dark pictures of ducks.

The plan was for Ian and I with brother-in-law Bob and nephew Darren to go up earlier than the rest because we needed to get the washing machine off the boat. Argos have agreed to refund all our money as they delivered a damaged washing machine instead of a pristine washer dryer. Well done to them because we only discovered the mistake 6 months after they delivered it when it was unpacked on board the boat. Lifting machine vertically up through the rear hatch took some doing!

We were joined late morning by Mum & Dad, sister Angela and niece Rebecca - they were later getting to us than we expected but we were only planning to go to the first winding hole on the Oxford.. We started away and up Calcutt Locks. No-one except Ian and I had been on a narrowboat before and the locks took some explaining. The plan was to cruise up to WIgram's Turn, move onto the Oxford Canal and wind at the first winding hole marked in Nicholsons - consternation, it wasn't there! Or if it was, it was terribly overgrown. Couldn't find the second one marked either. In the end we had to wind just before Bridge 111. Ian and I were worried about the fading light but didn't want to unsettle our rookie crew.

We managed to get back to the marina just as the light was fading and tied up safely. Everyone enjoyed their trip - whether we will manage to get the family away for longer than a day is doubtful because my sister and her family are top class ten pin bowlers and their weekends are taken up throughout most of the year either bowling in tournaments or on training weekends.

With Mum's mobility severely limited, whilst she could get on the boat at the marina, she would have difficulty getting off along the tow path so a day's cruise is likely to be the most we can do. Shame - because I think she and Dad would really enjoy the scenery.

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