So indecisive!

 25th Sept

 For once, we were in agreement, we were both being very indecisive! It was a question that we kept asking ourselves, should we or shouldn't we? "What do you think, Ian?" I asked "I don't know" said he "What do you think?" Good grief, if we keep this up, today was going to be hard! And it was all to do with wondering where to stop overnight.

Last night at least 4 boats came past, all going our way, and with a boat leaving very early this morning, also travelling in our direction, our dilemma was whether we would find a mooring in Shardlow. From Shardlow one has to join the River Trent to get to Sawley and then rejoin the Trent once more to get onto the Erewash. With the river still on red boards, all would have to stop in Shardlow. So the question was, do we make for Shardlow with the possibility of not finding a mooring or play it safe and moor above Aston Lock. With no decision made, we set off for the first of the double locks.

Stenson is a deep lock and takes an age to fill. Of course with that early bird boater leaving this morning, stood to reason it would be against us. 

It was between Stenson and Weston locks that we came across a fallen tree. There did appear a way past, but it would mean going as far over as possible. The gap was a convenient size for FS but a wide beam would have a real problem! A lady was watching, probably wondering if we would make it too.

 

What as surprise when we realised who she was. Karen, from our canal society, and used to be the treasurer a couple of years ago. She and her husband owned a historic working boat called Trout but sold it a year or two back. Anyway, she thought the river had dropped sufficiently for boats to travel along. Hmm, I still wasn't convinced and thought it would be better to stop at Aston overnight. 

 

A late lunch was had, we watched the Beeb weather which showed more rain for the midland area. If the river did drop in the morning, another 24 hours of heavy rain would bring it back up. So again there was a decision to be made. This time Ian was the one to decide. We would leave for Shardlow, and keep everything crossed that a mooring would be found above Shardlow lock

Before we got anywhere near to the lock a piled edge was seen that might be a suitable mooring. But try as I might, no way was FS going to get into the side. In fact the pole had to come out to get FS free.

Stopping FS before the private moorings, Ian got off and walked the short distance to see if anything was free, I awaited a phone call and was very glad when it came to say a mooring was available. So it's now a waiting game, the rain has started and looks to be set for the rest of the night, so will the river come down enough for us to make a break for it tomorrow? Fingers crossed it will!