After a very early start we set off to avoid the heat, before a cool easterly breeze later cruised pass the Fish and Duck at Pope’s corner and turned up the River Cam, locking through Bottisham and Batesbite locks until we moored on the Jesus Green part of Midsummer common. Then we walked to meet Di's family (Mum, Dad and Sister) in Eaden Lilley's for coffee and later rendezvoused at the air-conditioned Pizza Hut for lunch.
We purchased a toasted sandwich maker, went swimming in the open air pool and then Daniel took Debbie to see "Back to the Future III" as I wrote up my logs and Di walked along to Chesterton to do the washing in the launderette
I was awake before 6.00am and we had set off by 6.20am. I was at the helm after a quick start and took turns with Diana because Daniel stayed in bed asleep until 8.30am. We had set off early to avoid the heat and it was a nice cool cruise as a result. We passed the Fish and Duck and then turned up the River Cam and locked through Bottisham and Baitsbite, which are now free of lock-keepers and tolls, and easily worked with their electric mechanisms. Debbie joined in the task of steering as I mopped the decks. We went right up to Cambridge and moored at the Jesus Green part of Midsummer Common by the open-air swimming pool at 10.30am as the cool cruise ended with a temperature of above 80degF. We walked quickly into town for we were to meet Di's family (Mum, Dad and Sister) in Eaden Lilley's for coffee. They had taken a large table right next to an air-conditioning set and we tarried a while and cooled off in the process.
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Then some shopping independently and we had arranged to meet at the Wimpy Bar for lunch but I found it so hot and oppressive that I joined the queue at the Pizza Hut a few doors up and we ate in the air-conditioned room there. That Wimpy was so full of people, smoke and cooking smells that it was not only hot and oppressive, but there seemed to be a suffocating lack of oxygen as well. After this. I went shopping with Diana and persuaded her to buy a toasted sandwich maker that would run off of the boat's 240-volt power and we brought this back to the boat.
Then all of us (apart from Daniel) went swimming in the open air pool. The water was not heated but it was still in the mid-70's and we enjoyed the refreshing water if nothing else. It is a really old-fashioned place with wooden changing cubicles and a grassed surround which makes it a bit messy to keep the water clean but makes a nice place for the youngsters to meet and sunbathe. Di then walked along to Chesterton to do the washing in the launderette, Daniel took Debbie to see "Back to the Future III" and I wrote up my logs. There was a cool easterly breeze later and I put the cover up.