Not the speed of light

Determining distances, average speed and predicting arrival time is quite hard on any canal, but on the Oxford it seems all the harder!

Aynho is shown on our Nicholson Waterways Guide 1 (Grand Union, Oxford and South East) as being 13 miles from Thrupp. Add in an 'equivalent' mile for each lock and any lift-bridge that needs lifting, and the total distance ahead of us in lock-miles is 22.
If we could keep up a speed of three miles per hour today, then we'd need to allow just over seven hours navigating to our next mooring. However, there are a lot of factors that can slow any journey by boat, and on a narrow canal that's particularly so...
Not being able to share most narrow locks means that we are alone in opening and closing lock gates; raising and lowering paddles; grabbing lines etc. In a shared lock the work is eased with two or more boat crews sharing tasks, and this usually speeds passage up. There are two unusually shaped locks on the Oxford that will allow up to three narrowboats to go in together.

We meet another boater, solo navigator Debbie, at Shipton Weir Lock which is diamond shaped and about 25 feet wide, allowing both our boats to lock-up together. Whilst opening and closing gates, Jo tells Debbie that we are aiming for Aynho today, which turns out to be where Debbie is usually moored. She then explains she is mooring elsewhere tonight and as it can often be difficult to find mooring space at Aynho, we are welcome to use her home mooring when we get there. Such common co-operation and kindness of boaters is a great thing in what can sometimes be a difficult lifestyle.

Weather conditions can also slow progress, particularly if side-winds catch us or worse still a strong headwind is encountered. The etiquette of boating requires navigating boaters to slow down to 'tickover' speed when passing moored boats in narrow stretches of canal, and the Oxford has quite a few stretches of moored boats - mainly found close to towns and villages, but also near main roads that cross or pass close to the canal.
Navigating boats passing each other need to be slowed for, and just before Pidgeon Lock, where several boats are moored, we have to reverse about fifty yards to allow a hire-boat to pass us in the narrow waterway. Annoyingly, in shallower water here, our prop picks up some more unwanted material, so we are soon stopping again to free ourselves of canal-bottom debris!

So after nearly nine long hours of stop-start journeying we at last make Debbie's mooring just before Aynho Wharf. We sure are now very hungry, and after securing Pelangi, we're all but running to the Great Western pub for our long-awaited meal out!Okumaya devam et