Did not expect a queue.

 Sept 13th

Friday 13th, did you know that the New-York Historical Society says the origin can be partially traced back to Jesus' Last Supper. The story goes that 13 guests attended the Last Supper—Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles—and the next day, Good Friday, was the day of Jesus' crucifixion!

Anyway, I thought I would impart this bit of useful (or useless) information to one and all and not being superstitious (yea right!) I felt sure today would go well. And it did, the cruise to Rugeley went without hitch. No one was met at Armitage tunnel; I did notice the signs had been replaced and could find no information board asking for a crew member to go on ahead to make sure it was all clear.

Rugeley was very quiet, and we had no trouble in finding a mooring. First stop was to Home Bargains to see if they had any Flamefast fire logs. It's the transitional period from summer to Autumn that makes us indecisive about whether to get the fire going or not. Today was too hot really to light the stove, but the chill needed taking off when sitting in the evening, and those fire logs burn for a good two to three hours. We were unlucky, though, they don't seem to do them any more. We will just have to continue with the diesel heater instead.

Having done a shop in Morrisons, we would have continued on our way, but truth be told we couldn't be bothered to move again. It wasn't a bad mooring if you could ignore the generator noise two boats further along and the children leaving school shouting and running up and down the towpath, but all in all, from 8pm onwards all went quiet.

 

September 14th

Destination today Great Hayward for a weekend on Tixall wide. Ian wanted to prep and paint the handrail on the starboard side, having already finished the handrail on the port side. It was about 5 miles from Rugeley with only two locks to do. Having left before 8 30am, crept past loads of moored boats, and not seeing a sign of another boat moving, we assumed the first lock, Colwich would have no one waiting. How wrong were we! 

I could see a line of boats through the trees, thought them to be moored until Ian burst my bubble to say there was a queue. Unfortunately the lock landing has room for two boats, no more, so all we could do was get as near to the bank as possible. Ian managed to jump off, I tried to steer the boat forward and got well and truly stuck! With Ian pushing the bow out and then hobbling down to the stern to give that a shove, at one point I really thought he was going in for a swim, the point of no return, but thankfully his knees didn't let him down on this occasion, and managed to jump onto the gunnel. It was a close shave, though! 

Anyway, we waited for the lock for an hour before it was our turn. The ground paddle at the top gate was all tapped up and only the paddle on the lock gate could be used, so no wonder it took an age for 4 boats to get through. The balance beam must have been damaged at some time too because the beam was held together with iron rods.

 

Only Haywood lock to do and one boat waiting. Those other boats were passed at Shugborough Hall moorings.  We pulled onto the facilities, took on water and emptied the cassette and then reversed to Great Haywood Junction to do the turn onto the Staffs and Worc canal.

Tixall Wide was busy, not a space to be had, but just before the wide was a length of mooring that we thought we might get into. So Ian took FS in a wide circle to come back and claim that space.

 

Ian began the prep to paint the handrail, I went fishing!

Well, there was nothing I could help him with and, having opened a tin of sweetcorn yesterday to go with our chicken grill, had enough left to stick a corn kernel on the hook and see what I could catch. First cast a Roach. Second cast a Bream, wow this was a brilliant spot. So glad we will be staying for another day.

And seen on route