Cruising to Cambridge and a fine visit and then back down the Cam to Upware as Beirut erupts
A much milder night with minimum temperatures of 51degF but without wind. Today it rose to the low 70degF’s. The barometer fell sharply to 1012 and the lockkeepers assure us that Thursday will see a change in the weather and rain. We rise early and after breakfast set off for Baits Bite lock and are first to arrive finding the Irish keeper still in his house and the gates locked. He does not remember seeing ‘The Lady’ before, though he quickly recognises it as a ‘Banham.’ The lock fee to Cambridge is £3.35 for the day.
Onward past Cambridge rowing clubs with each college having its own pavilion, under several bridges and eventually to the swimming pool moorings on Midsummer Common. I was first pleased to find that my hose adaptors allowed us to replenish our water tanks below Jesus Green Lock. Off we walk across Christ’s Pieces and look round Corpus Cristi, Emanuel and Pembroke Colleges at length. The buildings, grounds and gardens are beautiful but it would take several days to view all of the colleges.
Lunch at the Pub beside the Granta punts and then we hire a punt for £2.80 plus £15 deposit and I pole the family along the Backs to see John’s, Trinity and Clare colleges, managing to return in 1 hour, just in time for Ice Creams and a leisurely stroll to the cinemas. Diana took Debbie to the Arts Cinema and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – I, Daniel to the Victoria and Superman III.
After we rendezvous back at The Lady and go swimming in Jesus Swimming Baths – quite the coldest water we have experienced – but good enough for a cleansing bath and refreshment of what had become a very clammy day. A quick tea of pie salad and then smartly to the helm to set off downstream on The Cam. Back past Banham’s old boatyard where The Lady was built, through Baits Bites Lock, past the Bridge at Clayhithe where the boat ahead moored. I was disappointed at this as I had got quite attached to watching a girl crew in her brief bikini.
Then on past the Cambridge Motor Boat Club and the Sailing Club. Their grounds are so pretty with chalets and moored boats in good condition. We just catch Bottisham Lock before dusk and its closing at 8.00pm and lock through and on in failing light till we moor at the ‘new’ pub moorings at Upware. A pleasant Inn for a pint and good comfort to read our newspapers.
News locally is of the failure of a computer firm from the Cambridge Science Park, Grundy with its Newbrain computer, going bust; also of mounting dispute over Cambridgeshire farmers burning stubble. Now that the straw is no longer needed for declining livestock they are burning large quantities and the night air is full of smuts and the sky light up in three directions with flaming straw.
Nationally, news is of Beirut and the Lebanese strife which has become ever more acute. French troops have been killed and a British convoy attacked fortunately without casualties. Begin’s decision not to seek resignation as Israel’s P.M. is leaving a power vacuum and I hope from all of this will come more reconciliation.