Boating on the Great Ouse again after recovering Lady Martina
Boating on the Great Ouse again after recovering Lady Martina

A shock this morning when The Lady was missing from her mooring, after being unmoored by youths in the night, but we found it downstream and returned it without harm. Later to set off on her through Paper Mill lock to moor in St Neots as the rain spoiled the carnival procession before we moved and spent the night moored at the Coneygeare.

The news today was of the opening of the ‘Rest of the World’ versus ‘South Africa’ rugby tour and in the aftermath in Poland of the new political changes, labour strikes are put off to give the new Solidarity Prime Minister a chance

I had a short night after my late-night efforts but still awoke myself before Di brought my tea. Imagine, my shock and surprise when I looked out to the river and saw our boat The Lady had disappeared! I dressed quickly and I called the police and got Daniel up whilst I talk to the neighbours to see if they had seen anything. We then set off in Daniel’s speedboat and, after a little search, found The Lady adrift around the river bend. It had been untied by youths in the night and had drifted there.

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Quite a relief to find it so easily and unharmed as we were due to start our holiday on the boat today. A long morning packing and preparing The Lady, which meant that we only set off and went through the paper Mill lock at lunchtime. The weather was fine at this time but, after we moored up in St Neots and had lunch there, the heavens opened in time for the carnival procession which was a shame. We stopped to watch it and then did our shopping whilst moored at the town quay. We moored for the night opposite the Coneygeare playground and the girls played as I fished unsuccessfully from the boat. Tonight, Daniel slept in The Lady’s saloon after us watching TV. The news today was of the opening of the ‘Rest of the World’ versus ‘South Africa’ rugby tour and there were protests from anti-apartheid campaigners at the match. In the aftermath in Poland of the new political changes, labour strikes are put off to give the new Solidarity Prime Minister a chance.