If all else fails.....

Before I continue with today's jaunt I have linked the FUND BRITAIN'S WATERWAYS to my side bar.

A petition can be signed if you click on this link  https://chng.it/msw9PCzjv2
The goal is to reach 10,000 signatures and more support is needed.

 Aug 10th

That boat moored behind us, name of Wandering Snail.  A bit of a play on words  because also on the cabin side on a separate panel was 'Less cargo carrying company. Very clever and I'm sure you can work it out! Owners were Ann and Oliver Husar.

Before we set off a problem occurred that I don't think Ian had thought of when hammering in the mooring stakes last night. With the rope through the D rings, it got well and truly trapped between the two and worse than that, the ground was so solid that any attempt of pulling up those stakes seemed impossible.

So he tried using the crowbar. Yep, just another thing my 'man that can' keeps on the boat! That failed big time. Those pins were not for moving!. 

Then a sudden brain wave. Use the tiller pin as the extension to fit over the crow bar handle. He hoped to get more leverage that way but, blast...that failed too!

A lot of swearing going on by now as well as head scratching. Would those stakes ever come out of the ground and more importantly, would we be stuck here forever?

 

 Then out came the hammer! As the saying goes 'if all else fails welly it with a hammer' and if that doesn't work get a bigger hammer! Anyway finally this did the trick but a good 20 minutes had now gone past since he first attempted the removal.

 

Finally one was free and out it came

 Okay so the bow ones had been removed. What about the stern two? Same as above, crow bar first but then he skipped the tiller extension bit and hit it with the hammer instead. That did the trick. I don't think these stakes had been driven into the ground quite like those on the bow.  Ian has made a note to himself, Do not be quite so heavy handed with the lump hammer next time he goes to drive the stakes into the ground! 

 

Before we left Ian printed and laminated two of our Fund British Waterways signs for Ann and Oliver to place in the window. In return, we were given a book 'A Cigar in Belgium'.

 

This is the story of Ann and Oliver adventures with Wandering Snail in mainland Europe. I'm very excited about reading this as Ian and I had a hunkering of taking FS, first to Ireland and then to Europe several years ago but I think we are a bit too old these days to take on that sort of adventure. On opening the book found the front inner page signed by Ann, a really lovely touch and one we must thank her for. Hopefully we will see both Ann and Olly again at the Campaign cruise. I can thank her in person then.  

Did I mention they were traders? Olly's Carved Creations can be found on the Roving Traders list and FB. If anyone attends one of the Traders Floating Markets, and they happen to be there, go and say hello.

It was a late getaway this morning and even in the glorious sunny conditions (hooray...at last...) the canal didn't look much better. The sides were still so silted it would be impossible to get a boat anywhere near to the towpath and loads of rubbish floating on top and below the water. Several times, and very reluctantly, reverse was in order to try and clear the prop. And then a surprise when we met a boat coming towards us by a narrow section. I had only just opened my mouth to say to Ian I doubt if we will meet another boat when it appeared!

And at Coseley tunnel another was met. This time we heard the drone of an engine before entering the mouth and stopped before going in. Instinct was correct because out popped another boat!

Very wet inside

Once on the other side of Coseley Tunnel condition improved considerably, well the rubbish seemed to disappear anyway. The weed was as bad as ever! We could have gone down Factory locks and onto the Mainline but having moored on the Gower Branch many years ago and found it a lovely quiet rural spot ideal for Toffee, we made for that.

Turned left off the Wolverhampton at Bradshall Junction and down 3 locks, two of which were staircase.

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 The third lock took forever to fill! Only one paddle working, I must have hovered midstream for a good 5 minutes! Looking beyond to what we expected to be lovely moorings we were greeted by new Towpath laid and very little places to stop.

 

The canal was green with Azolla Weed, not the least bit inviting. So we did the unthinkable! Took the very last bollard of the lock landing to tie the stern rope too and Ian managed to hammer a stake into the one bit of exposed soil behind the coping stones for the bow rope. If another boat actually comes this way I will be surprised. Doesn't look as if anything has travelled this section for quite a while, the lock walls were completely dry before Ian filled them for me.

Into Brum tomorrow, we have to be moored near to Granville Street Bridge for Saturday for a briefing ready for the 50 or so boats entering the basin at the Mailbox on Sunday.