Playing chicken

 Aug 3rd

I was up early...even before Toffee, she wisely decided that 5.30am was too early even for her! But the birds were twittering, a pigeon cooed incessantly and looking through the bedroom porthole, noticed something weird on the water. This I had to investigate so side hatch opened to see if I could work it out. 

 

I couldn't, it was baffling. At first a boat going past was my initial thought but then the bubbles veered off to the left and straight into the undergrowth. What aquatic bird would make this sort of pattern? Was it an otter perhaps? Even Ian had no explanation, I have put it down as one of those unexplained weird phenomena, unless someone knows otherwise.

Jim and Jen were gone by 8.45 am, we left about 15 minutes later. 

Ian walked to Tixall lock noticing what a poor job the contractors have done resurfacing part of the towpath. On the side furthest away from the water there was nothing to hold the new material in place and consequently it had started to break up. I suppose they may be coming back to fix it, it is costing a lot of money to fall apart so soon after laying,

 

Still waiting for the new surface material. Apparently Toffee refused to go past the roller. It was far too scary! A lot of coaxing by Ian, she still refused so he just walked away. That did the trick!

Bottom of Tixall Lock

Top of Tixall lock and the Rothen work boats were there. The offside paddle was taped, my thinking was they had done it to stop the lock filling too quickly and dragging the pans toward the lock.

No need for ropes!

 

  Further along the canal we came across several men laying the new material. I believe this to be Ultitrec which once laid is then compacted to form the new path.

ULTITREC is a recycled footpath material produced from selected arisings from highway and maintenance works.

The blue Canal Time boat had a panic moment when we appeared. It very nearly ended up bow first in the opposite bank.

We still have problems with our horn.  At Walton bridge and a definite deep throated sound came from beyond the bridge ole. Ian beeped back and then decided to wait. It's a good job he did because 30 seconds later the shape of a boat appeared through the foliage. I asked if our horn had been heard and we were dismayed at their reply...no! Ian now thinks we may have a problem with the pipework.

 

The journey took us past the Staffordshire Riverway Link which showed work was still in progress. Click on the link to read more, but this is a short excerpt.

It is a new name for the old Stafford Branch Canal or River Sow Navigation which formerly linked the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal at Baswich with the town centre of Stafford.  The restoration project aims to rebuild this link for community benefit.

At Radford road bridge Jim and Jenn had stopped. Aldi was but a short walk away, good to know as we would have cruised straight past. 

Shop done, early lunch, and hopefully an other hour cruise before we stopped. Not long after leaving and the same problems reared its ugly face as on the Caldon Canal. This time it was the reeds which had invaded the channel.

 

 The reed encroachment was awful, we knew Stafford Boat Club was just beyond but what we hadn't known was a boat had entered the Staffs and Worc canal from the marina and turned right. We saw it, he must have seen us, a bloody great tree branch was overhanging on his side but did he stop? Playing chicken came to mind! He kept to the centre, I was beginning to think evasive manoeuvres were needed when suddenly the boat shot off across the canal straight across our path.

 

FS was stopped, I waited to see what would happen next. A while later the bow was brought back toward the offside and I crept past. He apologised, said he hadn't realised how narrow the canal was at this point. "I have never done this before. My first time out and this happens" said he. "Are you telling us you have never steered a boat before?" I questioned. "Yes, said he, "I have only just bought it!" Wow, "You've done bloody well to get it back on track if this is your first time." I told him.  "That was very impressive."

 

 We didn't quite make the planned mooring above Deptmore lock in the dry. Rain came down in torrents, thankfully short lived although Ian did have to leap off FS. I failed to bring the stern near enough to the bank so he could just step off. I blamed the fact that I still had my sunglasses on and they didn't have wipers!

Moored above lock was Dire Straits. Jenn had done a Marilyn, got her shears out to trim the vegetation from the bank so we could moor behind them. Unfortunately it was a wasted effort because I refused to moor under a tree. Nothing worse than listening to the drip drip of water droplets as I lay in bed! I think she took it well!

And seen on route

Every young child's dream

 And wildlife

Reed Warbler