We follow the BBC weather app closely, and it was forecast to be dry this morning, and heavy rain from lunchtime onwards.  We only planned on doing three hours, to get ahead of the rain, epic fail and the rain started just after we cast off.  I was told it would only be a ‘shower’, and it stayed with us all day.

It seems that everyone follows the BBC app, as there were a good number of boats about, luckily mainly going in the opposite direction, so a fair number of the locks were set for us.

We’ve started to see a few hire boats, mainly fat boats (widebeams) going in the opposite direction to us, as they don’t want to tackle Caen Hill.  We’ve gone down to just the centre rope in the locks now,  and opening one paddle, this allowed us to keep the front cratch closed and dry.

We did our three hours, and just after one of the locks was a perfect mooring, but no internet (so no America’s cup sailing) so we decided to carry on.

We agreed on stopping in Great Bedwyn, internet or not .  We’re on a proper mooring with rings, good job with 40mph winds forecast – and 4G internet! Finally turned the engine off at about 1.30, to a lunch of bacon, egg and beans.  Pad Thai for tea, although Toby is munching his way through the peanuts and choc digestives, so it may be a light tea.

We don’t plan on going far tomorrow (yeah right I hear you say!), we’re hoping to moor up at Crofton Pumping Station.