Day Thirty-Three - Hampton Court to Windsor

We woke to a wonderful sunny day with beautiful calm water. The reflections were magnificent. We set out at eight o’clock as we wanted to get to Windsor by the early afternoon. It was an easy day for me as there were only five locks and I only had to operate two of them. One was before nine o’clock and one at lunch time when the lock keepers aren’t available. If I see the sign ‘Self Service’ then I know I have to get off the boat and do the lock myself. I feel quite powerful pressing the buttons on the lock panel. They have buttons which say ‘Sluice open’, ‘Sluice Close’ and ‘Gates Open’ and ‘Gates Close’. I just remember the principles of the manual locks and I’m away.
Motoring along the non-tidal part of the Thames River has been very easy. We think we are going quite fast until the local rowers go past us. The traffic has been light and we would have only passed about half a dozen canal boats on the river today.
We arrived at Windsor at two thirty. There seemed to be very few mooring sites and we moored beside a dirt bank called ‘The Brocas’ with Windsor Castle in the background. The site is owned by Eton College and the mooring of the boat is permitted by the Provost and the Fellows at a cost of six pounds per night!
We spent a lazy afternoon walking along the High Streets of Eton and Windsor. The place was buzzing with many tourists with the corresponding tourist gift shops. Eton High Street did have some very posh small shops including quite a few tailor shops. We saw the Eton boys in their black tailed school uniform as they walked outside Eton College.
Tomorrow morning we hope to do a tour of Windsor Castle before setting off after lunch.
Photos: Reflections on the water opposite Hampton Court Palace; Henk coming into the lock after I have worked the buttons!; Henk mooring the boat with Windsor Castle in the background; A sign on a tailor shop, High St, Eton.