We took lunch at the Beefeater and then on through Eaton Socon lock and cruised upstream to Tempsford
We took lunch at the Beefeater and then on through Eaton Socon lock and cruised upstream to Tempsford

The weather today started cloudy and misty and then ended up sunny and clear for the start of our epic voyage. Making our last-minute arrangements at home and then taking off upstream to moor first at St Neots Town Quay and ended up reporting vandalism damage to another boat.

We took lunch at the Beefeater and then on through Eaton Socon lock and cruised upstream to Tempsford. Some fishing whilst the family watched the film "Back to the Future II" on our boat video and then up late in my cabin writing up my ship’s logs

It was cooler and duller today and we had already got much of the work done in order to get away. We were awake early, with me arousing(!) Diana before breakfast. I then sat in my office for a while and worked out all of my credit card and other bills before filing everything away so that the Decorators could get in to wallpaper the room whilst I was away. We loaded all of the last-minute things aboard the Paxton Princess, filled up with water and then prepared the house for leaving. I then liaised with the decorators and gardener so that they could get on. Poor Daniel had a car problem in that his new pride and joy was no longer running. He therefore took it back to the dealer to get it fixed and we collected him on the boat which was quite a satisfactory solution.

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We finally set off from Paxton at 10.30am and locked through the Paper Mill and cruised along to St Neots, where we moored at the new floating pontoon boat moorings by the Priory Centre. I was distressed on arrival to find that another small boat had been damaged by vandals tearing out a paving stone and lobbing it down from the parapet and through its windscreen. Everybody seemed to be quite fatalistic about it but I insisted that it was reported and got the local newspapers and police involved. We then had lunch at The Beefeater (Bridge Hotel) and then did some shopping in St Neots; with my purchases being a boating magazine, some bait and the girls getting videos etc for their entertainment.

We had a look round for some more casual wear and shorts etc and actually got Diana into some and a new pair for Daniel but there was nothing that would fit me. We then left and cruised upstream and, against all of our expectations, actually managed to get through Eaton Socon lock and cruised upstream to Tempsford. This evening, I did some fishing whilst the family watched the film "Back to the Future II" on our boat video which was nice. I caught a few small bleak only but then Della joined me and caught one which was her first ever fish. I sat up late in my cabin writing up my logs and sorting all manner of things out and then went to sleep quite late at 11.00pm. The weather today started cloudy and misty and then ended up sunny and clear.