Today was the longest row of our trip and it was especially fun. I rowed all day with the two women from my club I’m traveling with. We were on the coxed double, switching the coxing job every three hours or so.

We passed under ancient bridges and went through eight or nine locks. Locks take time since we have to wait for a space to row our boat in and then wait for the water flow to be complete before we row out. It’s a little like threading a needle, since there can be big power boats hogging most of the lock. The cox has to negotiate the paddle in, and often there is barely room to move.

With all those locks and strong wind, it took all day to get from Henley to Windsor.

We stopped for lunch at about 2, then continued to endure wind gusts for the second part of our day. We were glad to get to our hotel, after pulling the boats out at the Excelsior Rowing Club, where we will get them in the morning. Tomorrow is our last day on the Thames.

[photos: swan on the dock; lawn party we rowed past; ancient church]