Me and winding holes do not get on!

Friday 11th

 And so the journey back to MK begins. Snuck away from Dire Straits around 8ish to go and wind. (turn) I'm helming again and as we get to the winding hole I start to swing FS's bow toward what I thought was the widest bit, but..on no...got it wrong again and I'm too far to the right and at the narrowest bit! What is it about me and winding the boat? I seem to make a complete hash every time I attempt it. (remember Snarestone?) Ian on the other hand, has no probs at all. I do eventually get FS round but only by putting the bow against the bank, putting on the revs and swinging the tiller to the left.

See that gap in the trees? I should have aimed for that!

Back past Dire Straits. Jim and Jenn popped out to wave us farewell. It will be back at Langley when we meet again.

A very noticeable smell of diesel between Taft bridge 69 and 68. One big diesel spill from somewhere and then at bridge 68 FS rolled over something solid. Now there is a story about this. At Haywood lock we met a lady full of woe. Something had caught the prop by a bridge somewhere after Rugeley which damaged it so much reverse could no longer be achieved. Everything had to be done very, very slowly. RCR (rescue) had been called out and because it would now be an insurance job to fix, only the RCR chap could steer the boat! "Where are you going for repairs" asked Ian. Would you believe they had to get it to Stone, a good 10 miles further on!

This is bridge 68, and we think what we rolled over was a coping stone. Pretty solid whatever it was. Could this be the bridge that the lady was talking about?

Oh, and more diesel on the other side.

Armitage narrows and we noticed a lady with a walkie-talkie. I was about to drop Ian off to walk ahead when she mentioned there was a boat coming through.

After 5 hours cruising, more than we have done in quite a while, we stopped after bridge 57. It's an early start tomorrow to try and get through Fradley before the rush.

And seen on route, What a talented person to make a tree trunk sculptor of a woodpecker.

And the view from the other side.

Oh, and before the wildlife photos, a snippet of information seen on a boat.

Due to the workload, the light at the end of the tunnel has been extinguished!

Today's wildlife,