Upware Regatta weekend

As our boat-handling was cancelled :-)  we were able to go to Upware Boat Club's annual regatta, held this year at Tiptree Marina.  We were slightly delayed in setting off because Mr B D had to get into the bilges to pump out excess water, but it was a lovely evening for the short journey to the Marina.

We spent a pleasant evening sitting outside David and Sarah's boat, showing Upware (who all went to bed early) how it's done!  Unfortunately, Gary turned up a bit late for the party, just as Sarah was going to bed.

Things really started next day, with boating competitions - blindfold dinghy handling, net-the-ball and so on.  It was all well arranged and good fun, the only irritating thing was when we had to move our boat to a different mooring.

Captain Fell turned up in the middle of all this - better late than never!

The weather was blazingly hot, and my bread went mouldy, so Mr B D had sandwiches with the crusts cut off - very posh.  Everyone enjoyed themselves all afternoon, and unusually, I think more soft drinks got drunk than alcohol!

Sam joined in in his own special way ...

In the evening we had a very good hog roast (even if the crackling hadn't crackled) followed by a disco.

There was even some pole dancing going on, until Health and Safety intervened:

And so to bed, and back to CMBC the next day, after a pleasant morning, which started for Mr B D (I stayed in bed) with bacon and egg rolls, a sale of unwanted items, games and competitions.

Roll on next year!

The long trek home ....

And so, the next morning we made the short journey to Peterborough, where we bought supplies and then ate lunch on board, before setting off for our appointment at Stanground Lock.  We had to wait for a boat coming the other way to turn up, and spent the time watching a family of baby swifts/swallows/house martins - very cute.

And then we were back on the Middle Levels ...

Ashline Lock

We stopped for the night at Ashline Lock, and this time went for a wander through Whittlesey, a nice little village.

An arty reflection shot

The following morning we set off again, amazed that the weather was still good - I don't think we've ever had such a sunny week on English holidays before!

We stopped at March, and had a wander round before having lunch in a pub, where there was quite a heated debate about whether tomatoes are fruit or vegetable.  Couldn't get the internet on my phone, so we left them arguing.

Our next stop was Upwell, where we moored next to the Church and a water point.  Mr Blue Dragon decided to use the hose to shower (veterans of our 2006 holiday will remember such antics from the Heron) and decided to wash in the river first (!) - I sent evidence of her father's insanity to Daughter Thing in case she ever needs to use it:

We spent a lazy couple of hours, Mr B D fishing, and me wandering round with the camera, before eating in the nearby pub, the Five Bells.  The people were friendly, the food was good (and plenty of it) but we did stick to the table a bit!

The Five Bells pub is next to the Church

Next day we left bright and early to get to Salter's Lode by 10 am.  We noticed that the bridges hadn't got any higher over the week!  Having got there in good time, we then had to wait to go through the lock, as, in the words of the lock keeper "everything's going wrong today!"

Amazing clouds!

Half the sky was blue, half was white - very strange

And finally, back on our Own Dear Ouse!

We stopped at Littleport for the night, and David and Sarah and Sam drove over for a takeaway, and then it was back to the Club on Sunday morning - end of the adventure!