Very late start today as we are only going round the corner to the Anchor Pub for a farewell meal tonight. We have been travelling together since 17th May. Whistler continues tomorrow up the Ashby Canal, as we continue on down the Coventry to Hawkesbury Junction and the Oxford Canal. Bella is much improved today, but doen't think much of her 'pasta' diet. Hopefully we can put her back on normal food in a day or two. Should be home in under a week from here.
17:47 03/07/2009 4.14 miles 11 locks 1 vet visit!
Well what a day. Started at 6.50, to beat the rush to the Atherstone lock flight, shouldn't have bothered, no other traffic. Part way up we discovered why, the heavens opened and did we get wet, not much shelter in the middle of the flight. The crew have added a proper waterproof to her Birthday present list. The current one left her as a prize entry in a 'wet t shirt' contest! Not a happy bunny. We cleared the locks and stopped off to take Bella to the vet, dodgy tummy, very dodgy. So £50 lighter in pocket we were soon on the way, starve her for a day, antibiotics for a week, and Kaolin. Hope it works. The sun is out now and Murray is trying to lose the tennis! Lost!
20:48 02/07/2009 11.4 miles 2 locks
Early start (7am) in an attempt to avoid the threatened heat. Many other boaters had the same idea so it was not quiet and peaceful like it can be sometimes early in the morning. Interesting canal, one end is the Coventry, whilst the middle section today is the Birmingham and Fazeley - all in the building history, this bit has named rather than number bridges. The teo locks at Glascote were no problem - it is here that the canal winds across the middle of Tamworth in a big northerley loop, coming out the other side to turn south again through Polesworth, where we are now, within easy reach of the Atherton lock flight tomorrow.
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| From 2009 Cruise |
20:19 01/07/2009 9.55 miles 3 locks
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| From 2009 Cruise |
A VERY hot day today -mad dogs and boaters go out in the midday sun! Made good progress despite the slightly bent rudder. Quite calm through Fradley Junction, sometimes this can be very busy, but today there were even spaces at the water point. Eventually saw Chris walking back towards us, they had run imoveably aground whilst trying to moor, and their engine would not re-start! We towed them off and both moored up safely, and waited for RCR again, they know Chris's boat quite well by now. Water in the diesel apparently disturbed when they ran aground. Soon cured. Listened to Murray win, and Laura lose.
17:10 30/06/2009 10.8 miles 2 locks.
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| From 2009 Cruise |
Had a sitting around day, obligatory for Tixall Wide, walked Bella, watched tennis etc.
Today we started on the familiar homewood treck along the Trent Valley. Shopped at Rugeley and found moorings outside Kings Bromley.
Not quite the end of the story however, as we were sitting peacefully relaxing when a large shout came from Chris behind us as a boat scraped his side, the next thing we knew was a huge bang and we were rammed. Looks like a small dent and a bent rudder, non fatal. We shouted at the boat to stop, which thet reluctantly did, and took the hire boat company's number. The boat cleared off quickly.
This could run and run.....
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| From 2009 Cruise |
20:11 28/06/2009 5.83 miles 2 locks
Late start as we didn't have far to go, only two locks and a long windy, wooded bend around Stafford. Saw the home of RCR (canal AA). We also saw a pair of Cormorants and a Reed Bunting, so the wildlife count improved. Tixall is still without much wild life having not yet recovered from a mink invasion a few years ago. Some large function going on at Shugborough, we can hear the 'music', so we may stay put tomorrow to lets the crowds get through the first few locks away from us.
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