Good cruising day, spaced out locks which feel easier than when they are all together - Penkridge locks fills so slowly that I had time to nip to the paper shop, and it still wasn't full when I returned!
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| From 2009 Cruise |
And after yesterdays rain it somehow feels 'fresher', less humid. Not much sun today but miles more canal with hair raising bends, one of which the gps said was 303 degrees. It felt like a complete circle.
16:42 26/06/2009 6.3 miles 1 lock
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| From 2009 Cruise |
And weren't we lucky today, forecasts of thunderstorms at any moment, but they missed us until we had moored for the day - now it really is raining we a vengeance - knocks out the tennis too! The trip is interesting with only one 'stop' lock (between different canals so they didn't steal each other's water), round the corner and on to the Staffs and Worcs canal, and then a very narrow cutting in which you hope to meet no one, we did but luckily right at the far end, so he reversed back. Then miles of winding canal, some bends right angles, one or two feel about 270 degrees.
15:22 25/06/2009 10.2 miles 1 lock
Cool cloudy start, but the sun gradually came through the clouds and warmed things up. We set off for Wheaton Aston for cheap diesel, 49.3p/litre (plus tax for propulsion use), but having a generator and diesel heating you can claim for those, so not all of it is taxed!
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| From 2009 Cruise |
Then down through one of the manner cuttings on this canal, not too gloomy today, but on a dark winters day they must be quite dam and cold. On through Brewood (pronounced Brood) for water and the only lock today, reached the mooring just after 1.30. While digging on the bank Bella managed her second dip in the canal!
19:08 24/06/2009 9.95 miles 0 locks
Sun, Sun glorious Sun! Blue skies all day, just what we needed for a good cruise, no locks and only a narrow shallow cutting to slow things down. Services at Norbury Junction after a long wait and then on to Gnosall Heath, rather busy there but we found moorings OK. Went for a shop and a quick pint and then a BBQ. Jay (dog from Whistler) had picked up a tick, but the village vet was close so they quickly removed it, and sold little plastic tools to remove the one. Apparently you have to rotate them so all the legs face the same way and then they come out cleanly.
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| From 2009 Cruise |
16:32 23/06/2009 8.37 miles 12 locks
Glutons for punishment, we did another great batch of locks today. Out of the Audlem moorings at 9 and through the last two locks and then on to the 5 at Addeley, fairly fast water again, but no disasters. On to Market Drayton and a quick rubbish and dog stop, Whistler was just round the corner at this point. On up to the next 5 locks at Tyrley. These are set in a deep rocky cutting with little room to spare, so little in fact that as we approached the bottom lock we saw two boats stuck! The boat coming out was wedged against the rock face by the boat about to come in, both of them caught by the strong flow of water. We kept back well out of the way until they had sorted themselves out. Four more locks after this, not quite as fierce but two boats 'pinched ' locks from us instead of waiting which slowed us up. By the time we reached the mooring Whistler had been settled in for more than an hour.
17:10 22/06/2009 4.93 miles 13 locks.
From Hack Green to Audlem, lots of dead straight (boring) canal and then a large flight of locks. We stopped at the bottom for water, and then in the town for shopping, more excellent meat from the butcher (open on a Monday!) fresh veg from a 'deli'. The locks are quite easy, just a lot of them and at one locks the boat was hit by the 'bywash or overflow and tried to turn sideways in the canal, not being wide enough it jambed. I went back to help, and with full power and help with a rope from the bank we eventually got control back. Exciting at the time! Most of these locks are the same, the spare water from the pound above rushes down a shoot and pours in just below the lock to hit the boat on one side as it is attempting to
negotiate the narrow lock entrance.
17:42 21/06/2009 4.7 miles 2 locks
Still no sun, but it didn't really rain either, so no complaints. Saw our first Kingfisher having travelled all this way. It was being chased by a Moorhen, that is when you wish for a fast camera (or any camera that is ready!). We saw a second one later. Travelled down through Nantwich, the scene of our towing in reverse last week - month - one loses touch with time out here. Very peaceful on a Sunday morning.
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| From 2009 Cruise |
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| From 2009 Cruise |
17:39 20/06/2009 0 miles 0 locks
Day of rest - walked up the locks at Hurleston a couple of times with Bella, poor weather. We watched the tennis finals from Eastbourne, and read a book or two. Let's hope the weather is more cheerful tomorrow.
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