More photos of a random nature - as you'd expect ...

I do seriously need to get this blogging back on track, so am taking a quick and dirty approach - given, in the long term, the blog will be a reminder to David and me about this semi-retired phase of our lives (both boating and life in NZ), I deemed it appropriate to make sure enough is recorded so that there are fewer gaps to fill in as our minds lose their tenuous hold on reality - if we ever had a hold on it of course, and that is a moot point in many people's minds about us, esp me I daresay ...

A number of the following photos are from David - we are so uncoordinated in our approach to this blogging lark that it takes days before his photos get uploaded to the laptop. And, I of course, have the patience of a saint and can happily wait for them. yeah right! So some of the ctach up herein is for David's photos. His are of better quality than mine, so I pledge to make him upload his daily from now on.

More from on the Avon:

I think this half sunken boat is at Nafford Lock on the Avon. It cannot be retrieved as it is inaccessible by road so no heavy machinery can get there. I also reckon there may be the question of cost and who would have the funds ... Just so you know, David was injured in the taking of the photos - walked into a tree branch and grazed his forehead. He DOES suffer for his art ...

Not in good shape

Held in place chained to the large concrete structure. It's a lesson about taking care, I guess. That lock had a difficult access - there is a right angled right turn to get into the lock approach, (with a weir straight ahead with a fierce flow) then a right angled turn in to the left to get to the lock mooring and the lock. I wonder if the boatie who owns this one overshot and didn't manage to make the left turn? Our experience was a bit stressful, but not as significant in outcome: As we approached the sharp right turn, a boat shot straight out of the approach/exit at full speed, trying to avoid the weir's pull. He was lucky I didn't T-bone him. I had sounded my horn as I approached the turn but not had a response. But when I was about to turn in and saw him coming, I did manage to parallel process by going hard into reverse and sound the mack truck horn long and loud. Not that the latter had any effect but I felt better for doing it! With a happy wave, he apologised. So that's alright then.

Here he is, my lovely David - I think this was taken near Evesham, but cannot be sure.

And I took this straight afterwards. The background is too open for the Severn, so it must be on the Avon somewhere.

On the way from Tewkesbury to Gloucester:

That's John we are following - on our way from Tewkesbury to Gloucester. Ages ago ...

Water, before you ask! Note how coordinated my T-shirt and watch are, both in colour and Maori motif.

We travelled downstream on the ebbing spring tide, accompanied by lots of debris. This was not a broaching whale, but it was a close run thing. Parts of the trip reminded me of the Tongaporutu River at spring tide or (more particularly) king tide when the river was full of logs floating past out to the beach. I'm not sure where these ones end up as the sea is a long way ahead and the weirs must impede their escape!

Approaching Gloucester Lock. The weir is off to the right and you can see the logs caught there.

In Gloucester:

Jennie and Chris on Tentatrice are preparing to depart from Gloucester Docks. Their boat has been cleansed of pigeon poop by Jennie. She unkindly did not offer to cleanse Waka Huia ;-) That task waited until yesterday when I was waiting for a lock to fill. Please note I am a project manager by nature and by profession therefore parallel processing is in my DNA and my habits!

There we are in Pigeon Shit Alley. This must have been taken after Jennie and Chris left. John's boat is the next one you can see and we moved over next to him that day. Made a nice party space at the beginning of the jetty between us...

A very small sample of the delights on offer in Pigeon Shit Alley - this one got cleaned off rapidly by David as it was interfering with power generation. Somehow, in his inimitable way of being domestically blind, he didn't see the rest - or perhaps he did, but remarked on it only as an interesting phenomenon ... That was in his boffin mode, which is distinct from his domestic blind mode, but closely allied with it, as the former enables and excuses the latter. As Julia would say 'Bless', or as I would say 'AAARRRGGGHHH!!!'

More on Gloucester Cathedral: For some reason the plan looks a bit crumpled, but this is what the new garden will look like. I hope there will be seating for people to sit and enjoy the space.

One for Paul R - I think the organ was in two parts across the quire (?) from each other. Looked beautiful.

I was struck by the humanity of Sir George Onesiphorus Paul (Bart).

I am unsure if this is a bust of him, but I thought the tomb/coffin was elegant - more like a bath with lid

Beautiful lighting in the arched ceiling and wonderfully straight and plumb pillars

In memory of my late Aunt Daphne who was a staunch Ricardian. Read Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey for info about how Richard was shafted and what really happened to the Princes in the Tower. Some lessons for the current events in the US about manipulating facts and people to get what you want by skulduggery.

Detail of the roof of the cloisters - such beautifully detailed workmanship

In the bar, drinking black russian and G&T, overlooking Waka Huia. Drinks were dearer in this establishment ...

 On our way back to Tewkesbury:

As we approached Gloucester on the Monday via the East Channel, the narrowest section of the river we had been on, this hotel boat appeared. They had been warned we were coming by Mick who had also warned us. They had moved well over on to the mud to let all three of us through. On the way back (and I assume they had come up to Worcester given where we met them on Thursday) there was much more room for a wider berth to be taken. It is a lovely boat. I wonder how much a cruise on that costs? Much do some research ...

Approaching Upper Lode Lock - an imposing sight.

OK, nearly caught up. Just Worcester and yesterday's trip north to enlighten you about. Hopefully I'll get on to that tonight or tomorrow morning before the boys wake. They are good sleepers so that gives me till about 8.30 ...