After a day like Thursday, getting up at 5.45am and getting away by 6.20am on Friday was the only option open to us. No way were we prepared for another day of queuing at locks and getting hot and bothered. And what a pleasant time to leave. I'd forgotten how relaxing traveling so early made one feel, no lock hold ups, no boat traffic in front to hold us up, just quiet tranquility and the odd early morning fishermen to wave a cheery hello. We did get caught in the tail end of a thunderstorm and the rain and wind made steering difficult, but it only lasted for about 10 minutes then the sun came out and the day warmed up.
The locks toward Stoke are deep and gates heavy and at Stoke bottom and Cockshutts locks the bridges got rather low. We made it underneath with about 6" to spare so my fears at having to remove the solar panels from the top box were groundless. It was at Stoke bottom lock we met two C&RT employees. They walked the length of canal between that lock and Etoria armed with ipad and tape measure and told us they were doing the regular survey around the locks and towpath. Anything they thought needed attention got recorded for the bigwigs to sort out. Ian asked if they kept reporting the same problems and they admitted they did. Even they get fed up when nothing is done but it's their duty to do it every month.
At Eturia I backed onto the facilities being watched by a volunteer lockie. Ian was off the boat and I had a few issues with the wind. Having got into position the lockie shouted that if the boat girls of the 40,s could do it so could I. What a cheek I thought. Did he think I was a novice? Well I did the best manouver I have ever done, going backward straight through the narrow bit without touching the side and with a slight adjust, got onto the landing and threw the center rope at Ian to pull me in the last few feet.. He then patronizingly said, not bad for a women!!!!
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| My reverse from the junction of the Caldon canal, through the narrow bit, and onto the facility landing. |
From here it was only a short hop to Westport Lake. We had arranged to meet there with Vixen and Icing who we knew would leave much later then us this morning. With only limited space I worried that they wouldn't be able to get in especially as the Harecastle tunnel traffic came through every couple of hours. We were dead lucky that they arrived and got moored just before the tunnel batch were due out and I could see them all looking to get tied for the night. We will stay for a few days now and sit out the predicted storms. We need a good thunderstorm to clear the air as it's pretty unbearable at the moment..
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| Strange sight to see trees in the middle of the towpath. |
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| Lovely metal Dragonfly sculptor at Eturia. |
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