Saturday 4 September 2010

Paddington Basin, to Limehouse Marina, Regent's Canal

The British Waterways website says the stoppage is still on, but a quick phone call to them and we hear that the Regent's Canal has reopened.

So, off we go and the tape has been removed and we make our way down to the Maida Vale tunnel. We see just about the same amount of oil as we saw 24 hours ago, through the tunnel and practically nothing more oily to be seen. Overreaction? we will never know. The oil didn't stop a heron trying to consume a fish bigger than his bill!

Now we are passing some very elegant properties with rolling lawns to the water on one side and flats and apartments on the other. Then the Snowden Aviary of London Zoo. There are birds within the cage and birds without - difficult to see which are guests of the zoo. Rather scrubby, unattractive land along this stretch of the zoo. Then we arrive at Camden lock, where the market is in full swing and lots of gongoozlers too.

Then through the Islington Tunnel and on through heavy residential areas without a moments concern about security. The amount of rubbish floating and along the towpath is just shameful. There is a lot of work to be done to make the place presentable for the Olympics. We can see the new Wembley Stadium structure on the skyline.

We finally reach the lock that drops us into Limehouse Basin. Bob called up the BW staff on the VHF and we were directed to a mooring mixed in with some posh cruisers. During the early evening two tall masted sail boats, one from The Netherlands come off the Thames through the lock. Very impressive craft and boathandling.