River Severn

Having moored overnight in Stourport Basin, we were ready immediately after casting off this morning to tackle the River Severn. The
river level had risen overnight and only showed about a centimetre of green on the offical marker. The locks from the basin down to the
river are in two sets of double staircases.



Once out into the river we shot off at what seemed to be rocket speed, although our rate through the water was perhaps only 3 mph. The
river is also quite wide by this stage and it is easy to see how it can cause so much damage when in spate. The width also meant that we
were much more exposed to the wind which was rather chilling today. The three locks between Stourport and Worcester all all large and
manned - the lights turned green as we arrived in each case indicating that we could proceed. Holding the boat alongside the lock edge
is not an easy task.

As we neared the centre of Worcester quite a few rowing crews were out practising their skills, from single skulls to eights with cox.



Entry into Diglis Basin is also tricky, esepcially when the first lock is already in use. It is necessary to go just past the entrance
and turn, so coming alongside against the current. However, strong winds were a further complexity. Nevertheless, together with another
boat which arrived from downstream we negotiated our way successfully into the basin. The signpost indicated 30 miles and 58 locks to
Birmingham!



After a few locks we dropped Andrew as he wanted to do something (unspecified) in Worcester, until his current move to Devizes his home town. We continued through more locks, meeting up with him just before lock 9. He arrived bearing gifts: a new radio (having declared
that the existing one did not meet his approval) and another digital TV aerial!!! It seems that Halfords and Maplins were not far away.
Indeed, if Maplins had not almost doubled the prices of their travelling satellite dish he would have brought one of those!

The Worcester and Birmingham Canal soon leaves the city and becomes pleasantly rural. Locks gradually become grouped into flights and we rose through the Offerton and Astwood flights, mooring just above the latter as night began to fall! Andrew leaves us tomorrow and
really wouild like to complete the remaining route into Birmingham before the last trsain back to Great Malvern! Only the Tardebigge
lies in the way!