Herbie's portraitist pays a visit

If you like solitude, the Great Ouse could be for you. I think we passed only one boat moving today as we moved from Godmanchester to Eaton Socon, just south of St Neots. No dog walkers or joggers along the river banks, just trees, reeds and meadows interspersed with locks at the sites of old mills. The mill pools are very pretty but the locks are v-e-r-y s--l--o--w to operate. It took 40 minutes to get through St Neots lock.

At lunchtime we we joined for a cuppa by Rick's sister Julie who a couple of years ago created for us a much loved water colour painting of Herbie which now hangs on our wall at home.
We were passing not far from her home so she came out to see the boat she had painted but never seen! Her painting was done from a photo.

Here we are now, moored on a shaky pontoon sticking out into the weirpool at Eaton Socon. I hope we don't get washed away in the night if the EA decides to open up more sluices.

Kath discoverd how wobbly the pontoon was when she was despatched ashore to catch the mooring rope. She ended up crawling along the pontoon on her hands and knees. I tried not to laugh but it was a joy to behold.