Where did that month go

Well so much for updating the blog more often - I can't believe t's almost a month since the last post.  To be honest there has not been a lot to report as the weather has been rather chilly and damp most of the time.

I continued up the beautiful river Thames to Oxford where I rejoined the canal network again.  The Thames gave me opportunities to play with the new camera and lens to capture  a few of our feathered friends on the way.

Cormorant

Red Kite

Cute Goose chick

Gret Wagtail

Kingfisher

From Oxford I headed up the canal through Banbury and round to Braunston where I spent  a few days doing a few housekeeping jobs in the inclement weather. On departing I noticed a strong smell of diesel from the engine room and found a leaking joint on the low pressure pipe.  Fortunately Braunston has several boatyards, including the one in which my boat was born, so a replacement pipe was quickly sourced and fitted.  

Leaving Braunston  headed down to Milton Keynes to spend a few wet days catching up with an old friend and fellow boater Pete Billings.  Further odd jobs were completed including replacing a cracked joint on the stove chimney and repairing a couple of loose cupboard doors - yes there are plenty of mundane days onboard.  

Yesterday I came up the Stoke Bruerne flight of 7 locks and then through the 2 mile long Blisworth tunnel before turning onto the Northampton Arm and heading down the 16 locks to Northampton.  A tiring day which ended with a welcome shower and an early night.

Stoke Bruerne Top Lock

So I'm now in Northampton only one lock away from the river Nene which I'll join later today.  Now look forward to the somewhat delayed summer and a couple of month cruising the gentle river.