Debbie 'at the helm'
Debbie 'at the helm'

Enjoyable Cruise aboard The Lady to Godmanchester on the Great Ouse in hot and sunny weather

 Up and to help finish cooking my fried breakfast and I enjoyed it more than for a long time. Then to prepare the boat by starting the engine, rolling back the sliding roof and wiping the inside to remove the insect webs and grime of its disused months. The kids helped to load up the clothes and food and we were away by 11.00am. We cruise downstream and lock through at Offord and moor at the Buckden Marina for water and diesel, having stopped on the way for our picnic lunch. A gloriously hot day, starting with clear skies and very strong sunshine. On towards Brampton lock and on the way we are hailed by Alan Ball and his wife and guests and we reverse over and chat. Alan used to be very active in the BMMG and was Chairman of Tri-vector before retiring to join a partnership in bathroom fittings. He had followed my news and we were pleased to meet each other again. Onward to the lock and through to cruise up to Godmanchester; taking a lot of cine-shots which will be interesting to see in the future. We are all glad to get to Godmanchester.

 

Debbie makes straight for the sandpit and makes friends with another little girl. Daniel takes out the outboard motor dinghy for a ‘trog’ round. Diana and Daniella have been rather overheated and irritable today, but feel better as the afternoon cools down and they take a walk in Godmanchester. In the evening we watch the portable television and a James Bond thriller called Moonraker. (see family video of this trip; Sunday 2nd September  to Monday 3rd September 1984 – 22m20s -  Godmanchester  Boat Trip. Second of our video films depicting my newly-expanded family as we record views and details of our riverside house in Little Paxton, our own Duck City and then a cruise on The Lady to Godmanchster where Daniel helps handle the boat and Debbie plays in the sandpit by the boat and meets other children to play. Very dry drought conditions