Bunkered and deballasted.

The weather has been great today and it certainly seemed to bring the dragonflies and damselflies out. I am not an expert and I was trying to steer at the same time but I think I saw these among others. I think it must be a good year for them this year.

A Common Darter dragonfly.

Emporer dragonfly.

At the junction we turned left and headed up to Cowley Lock. I was amused at this boat called the 'Victoria' with this great art on the cratch had the blue tape over the 'est' of longest as Liz has taken the record now.

Nobody was on the services at Packet Boat so we pulled in and filled up with water, emptied the rubbish as there is recycling and took the opportunity to empty the loo too.

We shared the lock up with a very laid back couple of lads. The Lockie told us that there was a shortage of water at Black Jack Lock but we weren't going that far. It is a lovely well kept cottage and the bistro was doing a good trade as was the Malt Shovel next door. The bottom gates are leaking very badly at the moment.

We went up to Uxbridge Boat Centre and winded at their ramp before filling up with diesel at 57p/lt. It is a great feeling to have all the things that are best full are filled and those best empty are emptied!

I'm not sure whether this boat is painted to be like the dazzle boats of WWI but it certainly has the feel of it. Mind you it doesn't shrink into the background on the Grand Union like it may in the North Sea in winter.

This is Packet Boat Dock just before the Slough Arm travelling south.

In the 1930's the dock used to service H. Sabey and Co and H. Boyer Ltd.

We moored up outside Tesco's at Yiewsley and went to buy milk etc. We nearly managed to get the boat undercover in the car park!

It looks like the apartments and shop are built on Bentick Dock where the Swiss Screw Co had a factory. The flats opposite look as though they may also have been partly built over Onslow Mill Dock. We went for a walk into the town centre and found there is an Aldi so it is marked in the book and we will avail ourselves of it on the way out of London.