Sharpness back to Saul Junction

Saturday 6th June
Yesterday we spent a pleasant hour catching up with Tina & Klim on Strathmore. The sun was shining and we were able to sit on the towpath and life was good.......however this morning it was a different story. Still we have had 10 days of fantastic weather so cannot complain too much.

Mini Tall ship going past

Very colourful boat moored near us

Cheerio Strathmore

However before the rain came we had an excellent walk on Friday afternoon, all around the headland and round the locks and the docks. We saw the entrance to Sharpness which we would have come in if we had been brave enough last year when we reached Bristol. All the pictures below are taken at low tide.

Entrance to Sharpness

Sea Lock looking towards entrance

Entrance gates to sea lock

Gates to next lock

High & Low bridges at Sharpness

This is another "Head of navigation" for us

Mooring at Sharpness

This is how the mooring looks in the gloomy weather we left in. Seen alongside the canal is the Severn Estuary. When viewed in the sunshine it is totally different and I had harboured thoughts of spending the weekend here. However as we had come through Saul, Geoff had sussed out a church and a pub for Sunday so we decided to brave the weather and head back there. The forecast was for the rain to get worse not better so we went early. For the first time we left the pram cover up to afford a bit of shelter. Not an ideal way to travel but there are no low bridges here.

Being such a gallant gentleman Geoff elected to steer all the way in the rain whilst I fed him cups of coffee.

Eventually moored back at Saul after a couple of hours. I braved the rain to go to the shop for the paper etc and was duly soaked by several cars driving far too fast and spraying me from the surface water.

Sods law then kicked in and when I returned to Petroc the rain stopped and there were signs of slightly lighter skies!

So we are here until Monday morning now when we hope to do the run back to Gloucester, weather permitting. If the rain persists over the weekend we shall check to see the state of the Severn before leaving the canal.