Wednesday 25th October – Day 101
We leave Longford Lock and it’s a short cruise to Penkridge Lock and the services. We queue jump! Eekkk. It’s hard to tell on some of these lock landings as people do sneak in mooring at the end of them and so we thought the people were just moored as we didn’t even spot them being ready to cruise. I wandered up to the lock and someone was already on their way out so left the gates open and we cruised in. Then I got chatting to a woman and they were the other boat! She said she didn’t mind though as they were off to ‘wind’ the boat.
There were quite a few boats on the move and it was busy back and forth as we made use of the services before heading off. I’d started doing the washing when we set off as it’s the most efficient way to do it especially when we are about to fill with water. I pop back in the boat and set the washing machine to spin and drain when Chris shouts we are at the next lock! I missed that one when I checked the map so I made sure it wouldn’t flood the shower room and off I went to collect my windlass and tackle Filance Lock.
Once done it was back in the boat to finish the washing and then soon after we stopped at a place called Cross Keys as there was a co-op nearby so I set to making carrot and coriander soup and Chris went for supplies. Lunch over, we move on.
It’s the coldest day yet for cruising. It says its about 10 degrees but it feels colder. We arrive at Otherton Lock quickly followed by Rodbaston Lock, Boggs Lock and finally Bridge Kiln Lock where I get chatting to a boater who lives at Mercia Marina where we visited in September and where we bought The Plot. Anyway, it turns out we have made a rookie mistake and because we decided to cruise the staffs and Worcester and then onto the Shroppie we didn’t check the winter stoppages and sure enough there is some work being done on the locks on the Shroppie so we now have to crank it quicker than we expected to get past before the navigation is closed from 6th nov – 22nd dec! then some further up are closed from jan – feb so it’s going to be a tricky trying to find a canal we can cruise whilst being ready for them to open in spring! Oh well, I’m sure we will figure something out!
For now, it’s on with the plan and try and get past the stoppage before 6th November.
Miles: 3 Locks: 6
C.L. Peache 