Bl**dy blanket weed!!!

 Hmmm, not exactly the start to the great getaway that we wanted. So full of promise this morning with the weather dry although overcast, both Dire Straits and FS as ready as they could be for a prolonged cruise, Jenn already on her way to Eastwood to set the lock and Ian lifting Langley Bridge paddles for us to descend and then to lock wheel via the car for the journey to Sandiacre.

Jim took the lead, I followed closely behind and then a sudden a hand signal from Jim, stop, stop! What could be the problem thought I. Soon realised when Jim suddenly climbed onto the roof, proceed to the sharp end and remove his chimney! Of course...Anchor bridge...so low as to warrant one having to duck unless you wanted a sever headache. Jims chimney would have become a crumpled mass of steel if he had left it on.

The journey down to Hallem went without hitch. With Ian lock wheeling and Jenn shutting gates, it all went like clockwork until that is, we descended Hallem Lock. Here it all went horribly wrong.

Jim was in the lead again, Jenn had walked on to Stanton lock and Ian was taking the car to Pasture to get that lock ready. It was very obvious as we came out from the lock that blanket weed was very prevalent.

Not good news as once around the prop, a devils own job to remove. Not far to Stanton lock when Dire Straits came to a sudden halt. On tickover, FS was just about moving but because Dire Straits had come to a halt, I too had to stop FS. Bad, bad move as once into reverse the prop became a magnet to the blanket weed and the inevitable happened. A big dilemma now as both of our crew were off the boat. Jim managed to attract the attention of a passing canoeist and then threw a rope to a passing cyclist who managed to get Jim into the side.

Not that it did Jim much good because although he managed to clear the prop, as soon as he set off again the same thing happened.

 As for me, not a hope. All I could do was phone Ian, explain the situation and for him to drive all the way back. Somehow I managed to get FS's bow toward the bank, enough anyway to throw a rope to Ian when he arrived. Then it was weed hatch up, arm glove on and Ian disappearing headfirst to tackle the mass. But another spoke went into the equation when a boater turned up wanted to ascend Stanton Lock. A quick explanation by Jenn and he offered to wait while we sorted ourselves out. Once FS was free of weed, Ian took FS to breast up with Dire Straits and drove both boats into the lock.

Jenn keeping hold of the center rope, just in case

A suggestion was made (by me) that once down and because the lock landing was a bit on the shortish side, we would come out first leaving Jim in the lock, the waiting boat would then go in next to Dire Straits and finally for us to pull Dire Straits out.

Even though I do say so myself, this worked extremely well and before long we were both on the landing with both props being attended to.

Sandiacre at last and we moored on the visitor moorings. Never have we encountered anything quite like that amount of weed on the Erewash. It must be because of the lack of boat movement due to Covid 19 lockdown. Hopefully, on our return in Autumn, it will all be gone!

And the 'below Langley Bridge lock' swans with 6 cygnets.

And seen on route