Paddle failed at Grindley Brook

What a beautiful start to the morning. Mist was rising from the canal and the sun was starting to peek out of the clouds. With everyone ready to go by 7.45am we set off in high spirits.

Gosh going with the flow certainly makes a difference to the speed you travel. No more than 1200rpm and we were still doing 3.5mph. Eating up the miles and making Wrenbury tonight was a real possibility.

The mile straight where a bit of speed was gained. Nearly 4mph!!!

 Lots of these swing bridges again, one we were lucky at as the bridge was up. An Alvechurch boat was coming through and we were waved on. Trouble was the chap that had raised the bridge jumped back on board the boat leaving the bridge raised and no one to operate it. Good job Ian has long legs as I took him as near to the concrete as was able so he could leap of.

Still congratulating ourselves that we had made excellent progress, a passing boat hailed us to say there was a queue at Grindley Brook locks. The coupling holding the paddle at the second from bottom lock had snapped. Oh, poo....that didn't bode well and when we got nearer to see a line of 6 waiting, our hearts sank. Time 11.34am.

We are the 6th in line

Walking down to see what the problem was several C&RT men were working at the lock. The broken paddle was on the ground and it didn't look like anyone would be going anywhere for a long time. Asking the question of how long it might take to repair, I was told the new paddle was already on. Oh....now that to me was a super efficient job and was about to praise them for the prompt fix when I was also told that the paddle had been broken since last Wednesday and it was only today when the new paddle arrived that they decided to replace it.

(footnote)
Ian had a different story to tell. Another volunteer lock keeper told him the paddle had been broken since last year and have only just got round to fixing it. Even the volunteers didn't know of the stoppage today!

Broken Coupling

New paddle

Drained pound

Blooming 'eck talk about idiots on the locks! We eventually get into the top lock by 1.10pm All was going swimmingly until this lady decided to untie her boat from the lock landing as I'm exiting the lock. The boats bow swung directly in front of FS's and both bows almost hit. I'm by now hard in reverse, smoke billowing from the engine as the revs have increased and FS's bow then heads for the trees. All I could do was reverse back into the lock, bouncing off one wall to the other until the other boat was pulled back toward the landing and out of my way. A 'sorry the boat got away from me' was given. Ian told her in no uncertain terms that if she had left the boat tied up until I was out of the lock that wouldn't have happened.

Finally the bottom lock and here the gate refused to open fully. Poor FS went through the mill as I tried to squeeze her through. Got in eventually but I can see this lock may well be next on the outage list. Finally cleared this flight of 6 at 2.15pm.

Rest of the journey to Wrenbury was uneventful. Yes we got there but not until nearly 6pm. Now a decision to be made, which pub to try, Dusty Miller or Cotton Arms

And on the journey,

Never seen a vapour trail reflection before.

Weird

 And seen on route,

Shield bug