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CribBlog Winter 2015

This is the post I promised not to do as it consists mostly of bow or stern views of Cribbit alongside muddy towpaths.

I got a temporary mooring for the winter months at Aynho Wharf and most of these pics are of short excursions from there, Very confusing they are too as the direction of travel means that there are two completely different Oxford Canals.

When I was teaching, we used to take our students caving in the Yorkshire Dales, and a favourite first expedition underground was usually to Dow cave. By lunchtime we would reach the waterfall, and 'ave us snap' [lunch], as we say in Cheshire. Then someone would say 'Come on you lot, we can't stay here all day there is lots more to do before we can head back'. But that we would then head back and enjoy the looks of surprise when we emerged into the Yorkshire daylight just as they were hoping we could turn round and head for home. Coming and going are two different worlds. Of course I had the same trick played on me when I was a student, but I have to confess that when I went back the next year I was well armed with the whole stock of the chemistry department's magnesium ribbon which was consumed in filming our activities [on glorious monochrome 16mm stock]. Do look at the Dow cave link it gives a real idea what it was like.

Aynho is just about the closest canal location to our house. It is also where there were outbreaks of smallpox in 1723 and 1724, I know this as Rosemary has been stuying smallpox outbreaks in the eighteenth century for the last 6 years.

On winter moorings at Aynho Wharf

January was also the month when my Boat Safety Certificate came due for renewal. Main problem was that there was a gas leak and so the system was condemmed! Fortunately, we were very close to Walker Services at Aynho Wharf, they found, and repaired, three gas leaks.