Another very warm day although starting bright, much of the time it was hazy or overcast. The forecast projected rain from the middle of the morning for two or three hours - however we had none at all. That forecast now stands for tomorrow!
Along the way to Stourbridge Junction, Mike took a quick look at the sturdy aqueduct over the River Stour.
After a short 45 minute run we reached the junction we made a start on the Stourbridge Sixteen, a flight with all the close comfortably close together. Shortly after we commenced the first lock, John arrived. We met John last year, and perhaps on another occasion. He is a gentleman who spends his days helping boats through the locks, generally on this flight. Although he is not the most talkative, he has learnt careful procedures and does not attempt to rush boats. Once you know how to use him, he can be quite a help.
There are several new housing estates alongside the canal - notice how, like elsewhere, they start by building those furthest away from the view of the canal. Once they have been sold, the view is then blocked by the later build!
Last year we recorded the parlous state of one of the balance beams at lock 13. It was clearly replaced over the winter, although strangely to the Staffs and Worcs pattern, not to match the opposite balance beam!
All went well until we reached the middle of the flight - we were on time for our time last year of just over two hours. However, locks 10 and 9 (the numbering is from the top and we started at the bottom, lock 16) are very close together - rather like Bratch. There is a balancing side pond but it is hidden behind a lockside cottage.
When she arrived at the upper lock, Christine realised that there was a problem as the level of water between the two locks was at the level of the bottom cill for the upper lock (if you get the drift!)
We started to run water down from above but it seemed to make little difference. Mike then found the side pond and it was totally empty! However, the water coming through the lock was gradually raising the level of the boat and Mike made several attempts to see whether the boat would not float over the cill. He was rather concerned not to get stuck on the cill has that can easily lead to a serious accident if water then drains out of the lower level. After some time we eventually made it, watched - and sometimes helped - by the grass cutting contractors who do a pretty effective job of keeping the flight looking good.
By then the next pond was extremely low and we had to wait for more water to get into that lock as well.
Once through that obstruction, we reverted back to our smooth and quite speedy ascent and, in the end, took two hours 50 minutes from bottom to top. We bade farewell to John and can commend his help to other boaters.
In the flight we picked up stuff on the prop and in the final pound we almost came to a standstill so the first task after leaving the flight was to moor and explore the weed hatch. We had the usual collection - not too difficult to remove but it is the first time we have picked up a pair of panties!
By now it was definitely lunchtime so we stayed put on the end of the lock landing I(ouch!) but there is plenty of room and little traffic so we risked it. Actually one boat did come down but it used the lock landing on the opposite bank.
We had a good long rest - giving Christine's swollen ankles a chance to recover. There was also another 45 minute run to the next flight of locks, the Delph Locks.
Another housing development. Nice name - shame it is about 20 minutes either way to a lock!
Although this section is never far from housing or industry, it does hide itself well inside a green corridor.
Our previous blogs have probably told this story, but here it is again. The flight was originally none locks and so is known as the Delph Nine. As a result one of the pubs at the bottom is called the Tenth Lock.
However, the flight was later re-built and turned into eighth deeper locks but the names still stuck!
We were on our own this time in this flight but nevertheless managed all eight in and hour and a quarter.
Part way up we saw this heron standing up to its ankles in one of the side ponds. Thinking that it was perhaps trying to keep it feet cool, we were ready to catch it in the act of catching its tea! OK, so its not a huge fish but at least it will keep one going.
The view from the Lock 2 is quite impressive, even if it is only looking down over six locks. Quite a climb altogether.
Not long after the top we arrived at Merry Hill. We sort of planned to stop over here tonight and since there were good mooring spaces there was really no contest! At least when we arrived there was plenty of mooring space - a couple more boats arrived even later than we did.
Whilst Mike attended to emails, Christine walked down to the shopping centre - as well as few immediate food items and a newspaper, she also wanted to look in M&S for a new thin pair of cropped trousers (or whatever the correct name might be!) She was successful but a bit annoyed that she had taken the wrong paper token and was told that if she returned this evening with it she could have a refund. So off she set once again - 38 steps each way - only to be told by a different shop assistant that we could have claimed the refund tomorrow. In any event, we plan a re-stock of the larder first thing in the morning. The fridge especially is looking a bit sparse.
5.6 miles - 24 locks
No comments:
Post a Comment