Oct 13

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to travel and explore, in my wanderings around Britain. I’ve had support from family and friends, and have met many new friends while on the waterways.

I spent a day doing the museum thing in London: the Natural History, The Science, and the Victoria and Albert. All exceptional places, and with many really interesting things. I was significantly impressed with the collections of minerals (including just about every rock type known, I think!). An exceptionally intense day of absorbing. I had also spent a day with Nick walking in the tunnel under the Thames, between the Isle of Dogs and Greenwich. We stood on the prime meridian at Greenwich Observatory and that was cool. As important today as when the concept was developed, drawing lines that converge on each pole was a much harder thing to do and agree upon, than latitude. Even GPS stuff today depends on this for identification of locations on the ground.

Then I started up the Lee Navigation. This was very interesting, especially how quickly urban London was left behind, and the Lee valley wetlands surrounded the navigation. It is a river, sort-of-, much altered and ‘improved’. The locks are very wide and ultra heavy, once the electric assist gives way to pure muscle power. I stopped in Enfield, where the Lee-Enfield rifle of long service was developed. The Royal Gunpowder mills are at Waltham Abbey, where I’ll explore today.

I traveled the length of the Lee, stopping at Broxborough, and meeting the tower captain there. She invited me to their branch meeting in Cheshunt, where I rang. Then Sunday morning ringing in Broxborough on a somewhat recalcitrant 8 (nice sounding though, and great people). I ended in Hertford and am thankful that I didn’t have to stay there more than 12h: issues with people messing with the boat, poor moorings, and a dutch barge cast adrift and blocking the waterway. Not a great finale for this navigation. I quickly abandoned Hertford, and made my way back downstream to Waltham Abbey. Quiet, and very much more congenial! Lots of canoe/kayak/paddleboard activity, but pleasant and polite.