Toward Autherley Junction and 2 boatyards offering different diesel prices within 1 . 5 miles.

Today we woke up with rain beating on the roof. The clock said 4.30am. Groan....... we lay awake for a while but in the end Ian got up while I tried to get some more sleep. Suddenly it was 7.30am. I wonder where the 3 hours went!!!! Anyway. As it was still raining I persuaded Ian to take the dogs out and no sooner had he arrived back at the boat, then rain stopped. After a fry up for breakfast we said goodbye to Ian and Caroline on Indulgence and got under way. We knew the locks would be against us because nb Lynx and nb Frederick had passed us earlier. Arriving at Bratch locks Frederick had not long entered and it seemed an age before Ian emptied the lock for me to go in. When I could finally enter the bottom chamber I then realised what a complex system of locks they were. What a marvelous bit of engineering.



Waiting below by the first of Bratch locks




Going up! Wearing my hat because at that time the sun was out.




Coming up the lock with Ian emptying the next lock into a very small pound with an overflow to it.



Closing the next set of gates.



And finally at the top. The chap in black was the lock keeper.

 Cruising along quite happily I did a quick double take. Was that really a speed camera warning? and on the canal. No speed limit sign anywhere so just to be on the safe side I cruised passed at about 2 mph. (actually there were a few moored boats so I expect it had been put up because of those ignorant boaters who think they don't have to slow down!)

Where's the camera?

Then not long after as we were going under a bridge we spied some very clever paintings. If they had been done by a graffiti artist then all credit to there talent.

Twice today we have been completely drenched. The first time we managed to moor quickly before Wightwick lock but the second time the bank was so overgrown that mooring was impossible and Ian left me with a brolly while he stayed dry in the boat!!!!

Thought I would mention two boatyards selling diesel. Lime Kiln boatyard, between Br 59 and 60 at Compton,would fill your cans at 88p a litre, but would charge duty if you filled your boat. The second boatyard was Oxley Marine. They only charged 80p a litre, and regardless whether you filled cans or boat, was all self declare. Thankfully Ian from nb Indulgence told us to go onto Oxley Marine where we got a much better deal then Compton
We met Stein from nb Like Ducks to Water at Autherley Junction. He's on his way up the Shropshire Union canal and before he made the turn asked if we would apologise to all his followers on his blog because he cant get a good Internet signal anywhere!


Autherley Junction



Sun now shinning on a very wet towpath.