Day 4 Tuesday. A very quick handover

It seems to me that our body clock is set for 6am at present. We awake at the same time every morning and set off about the same time of  6.30. Ian usually takes the helm while I attempted to make the toast. I say attempted because the grill is useless on Beeston. It took forever to toast one slice of bread. Anyway weather was once again wonderful. We did the last 4 locks on Lapworth flight, negotiated the two lift bridges and one automated lift bridge and after cruising the upper Stratford and going under the guillotine lock we turned left at Kings Norton Junction onto the Worc/Birmingham canal through Wast Hill Tunnel and eventually arriving at Tardebigge around 2ish.

Shirley draw bridge

guillotine lock on the Stratford canal

Anglo Welsh boats at Tardebigge. We are breasted up with Lady Theresa

 The canal was completely full of Anglo Welsh boats breasted up with only the narrowest channel in between. With Beeston now blocking the channel, Tony asked if we could stash our bits and bobs as quick as possible onto Lady Theresa, sign all the necessary paperwork and be on our way so as to unblock the channel. Talk about a mad 10 minutes. Even Jade had to be lifted onto Lady Theresa as the bow and stern of both boats were at the wrong position. With us now once more on our way, Tony neatly slotted Beeston to take Lady Theresa place and the channel was freed of obstruction once more. With  Tony telling us it wasn't safe to stop before we got to Hopwood, we made a concerted push to arrive there before dark. In fact we made it by 4.30pm and after mooring poured each other a glass of wine and settled down to watch TV. Only trouble was no TV. So with internet also on a go slow we decided an early night wouldn't go amiss, so with Jade walked we departed for bed by 9pm.
Total miles 24.5, 4 locks, 2 tunnels and 10 hours cruising.

Wast Hills Tunnel

Now I know it's spring.