We chose Thames and Kennet marina outside Reading as our next home. Close enough to London for Dave's work but closer to friends and family. Surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary, close to lots of interesting boating destinations and most importantly away from the motorway and sirens of Milton Keynes.
To drive from Milton Keynes to Reading is a journey of under two hours by car...by narrowboat we will cruise for about seven hours a day for eight days.
Augusta will cover 73 locks, 22 moveable bridges, 9 small aqueducts and 2 tunnels on the Grand Union Canal onto the Oxford Canal and from there onto the Thames.
Phew!
Now a little bit of information about Augusta
Augusta is a traditional stern, 62 foot long 7 foot wide narrowboat, built by Stoke on Trent with a Russell Newbury DM2 engine. She makes the most marvelous chugging sound as we cruise at around 2 miles an hour. She provides us with all the comforts of home but we haven't done much real boating beyond a few scattered weekends and the odd day trip. This adventure will be our first real journey.
Dave is excited to be cruising soon and is doing all the last minute running around. Not the least of which is moving the car to Reading today. It's raining here of course, so traffic will be an issue then he will train back to Milton Keynes. I expect to see him back by early evening.
I'm excited as well....new sights to be seen, new canals and more of the glory that is England in the Spring. I still have a few things to do to be ready...l want to be ship shape for travel...so more storing bits and bobs, sorting through odds and sods, and doing the last bits of shopping.
Fueled up and ready to go in the morning.
Let's hope that it stops raining.
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