After our leisurely day yesterday the skipper (Geoff!!) decided we would have one of our early starts. I was not too sure about this as I am out of the habit, but being a dutiful crew member I was up raring to go and we departed at 7am.........luckily the weather still held so it was too much of a hardship. I also knew that more torrential rain was probably on the way for the next day and the weekend....where has summer gone......
We had moored before the village in case it was full further along and this proved to be a wise decision. We had thought we would have to go through 3 locks to the next turning point beyond Wychnor lock but were pleasantly surprised to see a new turning point just after Bagnall Lock so we only had one to go through.
Bagnall Lock looking back to where we moored
As we approached the lock to go down at 7am another boat appeared behind us. I think they must have been quite disappointed to find someone else up so early. However as we were turning and coming back up we did not hold them up for long.
Back through Fradley Junction where it remained quiet, unlike two days ago when it was like Piccadilly Circus.......we even managed to get on the sani point so stopped to do all the necessary filling and emptying.
We had no particular goal in mind apart from wanting to be at Tixall Wide for the weekend. In the event we moored between Armitage and Brereton or to be more accurate between the Plum Pudding and the Ash Tree pubs! The skipper wanted to go on the moorings right outside the Plum Pudding but the crew were not keen, too near the road for Barney amongst other things..........so the Skipper had a sulk and when we were eventually coming into a better place (in the crews estimation!) he was still cross and so managed to knock off the fender as he stepped ashore with the line......needless to say it promptly sank.....however with his navigators eye he marked the spot and when we were safely moored he managed to retrieve it with the aid of the boat hook. This was lucky for him or the crew might have been cross......
Guess what we passed as we went through Armitage
and he was alongside a permanently moored boat...any guesses???
7.67 miles, 9 locks, 5hrs 05 min
No comments:
Post a Comment