Through Oxford.

We set of a an hour earlier than normal to see if we could do at least some of the trip today before the rain.

Bablock Hythe was a very quiet mooring and we slept very well when we came up a boat club was having a meet here and the moorings were jammed but not today. We left quietly at 0900.

This is the Ferryman pub and there had been a ferry here from 904AD. Recently it seems that it has run erratically and this is likely to be due to the fact that health and safety and certification has added such costs to the activity that it is not very worth while. There has been talk of a pedestrian bridge here though.

I'm wondering if this is the old ferry from Bablock Hythe washed up by the Farmoor Reservoir?

The rain was holding off but it was not very warm and Helen was togged up. Mind you she had shorts on below.

The cormorants on a dead tree gave a suitably gloomy picture as we sailed on expecting the rain at anytime.

We stopped at Eynsham Lock for a quick top up with water before getting on our way. The rain found us at Kings Lock, but we found the Blogging boat Festina Lente with Andy and Sue just closing the gates on the way down. After a toot on the horn they kindly opened up for us to share.

The rain kept the camera in the pocket but this was snatched as we passed under Godstow Bridge.

Just by Godstow Lock are the remains of Godstow Abbey. This was a Benedictine Abby that was consecrated in 1139. It was closed in the Reformation of 1539 and converted to a house that was occupied until it was badly damaged in 1645 in the Civil War. Today there were some students, some  without waterproofs surveying the site.

The floods recorded here at Godstow Lock are hardly above the normal level.

There were a large gaggle of geese on Port Meadow as we passed. They didn't look like they were enjoying the weather either.

The plan was to moor up above Osney Lock and below the bridge but the weather had meant that nobody had moved so there were no vacancies so we continued onward with 'Festina Lente'. At Folly Bridge there is an island in the middle of the Thames and you can pass either side. Salter's passenger boats operate from the island. The present bridge was opened in 1827 and was a toll bridge until 1850. The main passage is through the wooden piles to the right. We went to the right. There was a flash lock followed by a pound lock built with the new bridge. It was taken away in 1850.

This is South Bridge on the other side of the island. The first white wall to the left indicates No.5 Fooly Bridge that was built for Joshua Cardwell, a Mathematician in 1849. It was later bought by Robert Gunther in 1911,who you will all remember wrote about the history of Science. The house is castellated and has cast iron figures and balconies and lions with bones in their jaws.

Past Folly Bridge are all the University College boat houses along Christ Church Meadow. There were no rowers out today!

However there was a solitary punt out. Rather them than me. We continued following Andy and Sue through Iffley Lock. I had every intention of continuing to Abingdon but thinking that nobody may have moved off from there too, and Helen getting colder by the minute, along with my feet we stooped above Sandford Lock when 'Festina Lente' did. It stopped raining soon after we tied up.