Isn't that always the way. Get ready to set of for the water point by the lock and a boat beats us to it. Then just as we were going to pull forward and go behind that boat, another boat passes us who also wants to water up. Now, there are two taps and space enough for two boats, but that waiting boater would not tuck in behind. Ian did mention there was space for them but their replay was. "We won't fit in there." Ian tried telling him he would, but he was having none of it. Okay so they could stay and wait but meant we had to resort to plan B, do the lock, turn right at the junction and use the tap just after the narrows.
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| Blue boat to the right on the water point, left that boat waiting and in the lock the hire boat. |
And then as luck would have it a hire boat passed and took the lock before us. Turned out this was their first ever lock and the thought of doing that and the junction terrified them! Ian to the rescue and showed them the ropes at the lock then went to give some advice as he watched their first attempt at going through the junction ending up with the bow hitting the far bank. Anyway eventually they got around and I followed them through.
Good to see that water point was free but that tap....oh so slow especially as all the other taps in use were fed from the same supply. Took nearly 40 minutes to fill the tank and guess what, those other boaters who reckoned they wouldn't fit? Ha...they were still waiting for that first boat to move off.
Waiting for the tank to fill, Ian phoned friends of ours who moor on the Ashby. The mention of the coal boat managing to get to Shakerstone and that the water levels had come up by at least 3 inches made our minds up. The Ashby it was then.
That turn from the Coventry into the Ashby was a right B. Having watched the boat in front having difficulty I wondered how I would fair. Well, not brilliantly as it turns out 'cos the stern dug into the silt every time I reversed causing the tiller to be ultra heavy when I turned it to go forward but somehow I managed it without hitting the bank. It took several reverses and corrections to achieve it though.
With no one moored on the piling before bridge 3 we pulled in and just in time too. Not 20 minutes later the skies darkened, the thunder rumbled and the rain came down in torrents.
That should help raise the water levels! Played hell with any thoughts of my fishing though.
And seen on route,
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| Hmm, tad high for them ducks now |
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| Low water levels revealed this. |
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| Not good! |
And wildlife
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| Must get that Blackberry! |
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