Getting it oh so very wrong!

 23rd July

 Another night of rain and listening to the incessant drips from the trees above. 10 pm and time to take Toffee out. It was chucking it down at the time, Ian volunteered, I was not going to argue!  He was out for ages, Toffee was not for hurrying her toilet and both were dripping on their return.

Toffee woke us at 6.10 am, much later than M&D had done in the past! Again Ian took her out for her hurry ups, well he does sleep on the side easiest to get out of bed. I made tea, this will probably be my lot until Toffee leaves us in 4 weeks time.

Having to be up early we decided to pull pins and go before 8 am. We were to turn left at Etruria Junction and head up the Caldon Canal.

 

The Coal and Diesel boat Halsall was moored by the facilities. What a great opportunity to take on some diesel and with a reasonable price too. £1.04 ltr not bad at all!

First locks on the Caldon are staircase locks and I took my time getting there as I wanted to be able to just sail in without holding out. The by wash can be pretty vicious if I remembered rightly. My strategy worked as both bottom gates were open. Toffee was with Ian and behaved like a true boaters dog, never straying very far from his side.

 

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The overflow from lock 1 of the staircase.

 The first part of the canal was a bit dire, narrow in places and very overgrown. After Planet lock a new Lidl had been built. Loads of mooring rings after bridge 7 which actually continue right up to Ivy House lift bridge 11. It was here I felt my blood pressure go up! A boat had been secured to the bollards which were  for the sole purpose of boaters to drop crew and await the lift bridge to raise. The mooring rings were but yards away, numerous too, so there was no excuse for mooring there! Going past the boat I could see it was padlocked and obviously left, how bloody inconsiderate was that! Name and shaming I think may make the owner realise this is not the acceptable practice!!

 

 

Engine Lock had a vicious by wash at the lock entrance. I had no option than to put the power on and plough through. A 10 out of 10 from Ian as I made it in one piece! 0 out of 10 once we got to Doles Bridge, you will read about that later!

 

The last locks of the day were at Stockton Brook a flight of 5. A message came from David to say he would walk down to help set the locks. Forth lock on the flight and he could be seen getting the locks ready. To save his legs for the mile back to Waka Huia, he came on board. Now sods law says if something was going to go wrong it would, especially when someone was watching. I made the biggest mistake ever as I approached the obstruction in the middle of the canal.

It was on the approach to Stoke on Trent boat club that it happened. The obstruction is the central pier of a long gone swing bridge and an arrow points to which side to pass. David was with me on the stern, we were chatting and I was taking photos.

In this photo all appeared well.

Heading in the right direction

But then for some unexplained reason I went on the wrong side. In my head I had it that I should keep to my side of the canal, why that arrow didn't register I have no explanation for. It was David saying how I didn't obey rules when the penny dropped. Oh, eck!!! Mud was stirred up from the bottom and visions of getting well and truly stuck came to mind. Thankfully FS slid over the silt, I lost a bit of steering and the aim for the bridge 'ole went horribly wrong. Ian was below and told me pictures and ornaments had ended up on the floor as I rattle first one side then the other. Talk about embarrassing. Unfortunately for me David was very quick to grab his phone, took a photo as evidence which no doubt will end up on Marilyn's blog!

Oops!

 Waka Huia was just around the bend, Marilyn was once more out there with the garden shears trimming the overgrowth. She is determined to buy a small strimmer, so disgusted is she of CRT's complete lack of mooring maintenance. I'm inclined to agree with her!

That afternoon we took Toffee on board Waka Huia. A long drop down for her to get below, the steps were too steep for her. Answer was for Ian to carry her down which nearly freaked her out!  People she doesn't know makes her nervous and both M&D were barked at. Treats though, nearly always win the most timid over and soon she was eating out of Davids hand. This photo taken the next day.

 A lie in for me tomorrow although not for Ian with Toffee around. Our destination is the moorings by the facilities. It's here that M&D will be meeting Ed Shears to check out the batteries. I believe David had already made a long list of things that need Ed's attention.

And seen on route