Hampton Court and our 2nd Regatta.

We had a good night moored at Laleham but James woke at 4 o’ clock this morning and noticed that the hire boat, which had moored up next to us late last evening, was gone and we felt something was wrong!

Anyway, we set off this morning and were soon passing under the M3.

Our next point of interest immediately after getting through Shepperton Lock was the confluence of the River Wey with the Thames.  Looking back as we left the lock (middle centre) the Wey comes in from the left.

Further down the river we caught up with the hire boat which had mysteriously gone missing last night, only to be told that they had been let off their mooring sometime in the night (with all three ropes, which had secured them, placed neatly back on the boat -I ask you!!) and they had found themselves a mile down the river.  They hadn’t come to any harm thank goodness but we were very pleased that we’d locked ‘Chance’ to one of the mooring rings and had not had the same done to us. 

As we got down towards Walton-on-Thames we started to enter “house boat” territory - and some of them are very smart indeed.

It took us about 2 hours to get to Hampton Court where we’d planned to moor up for the rest of the day and overnight.  Here we are nearing Hampton Court Bridge.

The neighbours seem all right.

When we arrived there was a rowing regatta in progress, which has lasted all day, and we’re moored on the finish line.  Much like the regatta we found ourselves involved with in Bristol Docks, we’re bobbing around like a cork while “all the fun of the fair” goes on around us.

There’s not been a dull moment today – Doug is relaxing with Guinness on the back of the boat and watching a group of 50 year old ‘speed boats’ making their way down to Kingston, where they’re having a club picnic.  Isn’t it great!

We took a walk into Kingston and had a bit of lunch there before walking back (a round trip of 5 miles).  This  Telephone Box ‘sculpture’ in the town centre is fairly well known.

We got some fruit and veg from the Saturday market – presided over by a very golden statue of Queen Victoria.

Photo taken on our way back to the boat - this is James with his Hampton Court!

After we returned to ‘Chance’  there was more relaxing and watching the regatta.  This “eight” surprised us by going way off course during a race and ploughing down the side of ‘Chance’ before hitting the boat behind (equally surprised lady on the back). In this photo they’ve just managed to get themselves composed and almost back on track.  All in the course of sport old boy!

Yet again, we’ve had a thoroughly great and exciting day.