Sunday 17th March 2019



An exciting day today. We have moved, only 1½ miles, but we have moved. The day was a bit breezy but sunny. It was a bit like a silly Sunday with lots of boats on the move. It seems many have been waiting for the stoppages to be lifted only to be held by the bad weather. With a sunny day, in a popular spot for watching boats, there were also many people about.

We waited for a hire boat to move from the water point. This boat had come through the locks at 6:30 last night in the dark. When I took the dog out this morning I asked the guy if he knew the river section at Alrewas was still closed. He was aiming for Burton-on-Trent, beyond the closed section. I tried explaining to him it wouldn’t be possible because the locks would be padlocked but he was adamant he was going to Burton, some people won’t listen so I just left him to his own devices. Later in the day this boat passed us with the guy looking rather sheepish.

The coffee boat then moved onto the water point and we crossed the canal to be next in line. The water pressure here was so low it took them well over 30 minutes to fill. We said our goodbyes to Jim and Sheila and then started our watering up, emptied the loo and dumped rubbish.

We then moved up to the junction lock and, typically, a lovely day turned to hail. Directly after the lock we turned back onto the Coventry Canal and the swing bridge and left Fradley Junction behind us, we had been here for 9 nights. Immediately after the swing bridge, the hail stopped. When the hail started Harvey leapt in the boat and he made us laugh by sitting at the dinette on the seat looking for all the world as though he was waiting for his dinner.

We slowly cruised as far as Fradley village and moored. This is the closest to a bus service to Lichfield where we intend to visit tomorrow. Once moored, the rain came on.

We had prosecco in the front cratch before a Sunday roast, feeling good about moving. The stoppages on the route through Birmingham to Stratford-on-Avon and beyond have been lifted so we now regard this as the beginning of this year’s cruising.

Beyond Stratford we had intended to head for Gloucester, out onto the River Severn and pick up the Kennet and Avon Canal in Bath. However, the lock between Sharpness and the river has been found to be damaged, has been closed for the foreseeable future and is expected to be closed for a long time. It seems we will have to revise our plans for this year.



Weather: a nice day but quite breezy. A few rain and hail showers throughout the day.



Day Total: 1 lock; 1½ miles; 0 Tunnels; 1 Swing Bridge; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 4.3   

         (including running the engine for hot water etc)                                                                                      Overall Total: 350 locks; 760½ miles; 32 tunnels; 9 Swing Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 485.3



 


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