Yuk!!!! not another eel!!

Hate eels with a passion. I should have known I had hooked an eel by the fight it gave me  The rod bent almost to breaking point by the time it finally came to the surface .So now I had a problem. How was I going to get it released as they are notorious for swallowing the hook. I've also got to try and grab hold of the thing.which, I might add, is nie on impossible as they are covered in thick slime. I have been told there is a knack to it but I haven't mastered it yet. In the end I held it up by the line, saw that the hook was visible just on its upper lip and as I always use barbless hooks these days, managed with the forceps to flick the eel and the hook slipped out. Away it swam no worse for wear. I on the other hand had a line covered in eel slime and my only option was to throw line and hook away. ( I was careful to cut all the line into lots of small pieces before putting it in the bin. The hook went over the side.)

We also had a small procession of steam boats go past. I love these little boats especially as they are looked after meticulously. The woodwork shines with varnish and the interior is definitely to posh for us narrowboaters. I mean! Who would have a table highly polished with a games board in the middle and a three decanter Tantalus on a mini sideboard?? Even the helmsman and their good ladies are done up to the nines. They are just in a class of there own.

We have stayed here at Hanbury Junction for another day running. The sun shone and Ian cleaned all the brass work. After lunch and before the tennis started we walked into Droitwich again. The river levels were still up but not as high as they had been judging by the way the foliage was laying. The sign has been replaced by the M5 culvert and the water level gauge shows the river to be a couple of inches up from last Tuesday.

No longer bent.

Today's level.  Don't think we would have made it through.

Last Tuesday

River gauge in the red.

white water. No wonder the river is closed.

A well earned swim

 I got soaked. Thanks Jade!

Volunteer hut still not finished.

On our return we noticed the small cruiser moored at the end of the moorings had disappeared. Left in its place was this bike frame. By its side was a sign with nothing on it. We assumed the bike frame belonged to the cruiser which he had disgracefully left behind. We did no more then put it on our roof to take to  the facility block in Worcester to dispose of it properly..

The tennis has just finished and I'm devastated that Andy Murray lost. Poor Andy, he has tried so hard to win a Grand Slam. I cried when he made his speech at the end and I do hope this doesn't put him off from trying again. Well down Andy for giving us a thrilling final.