Made Alrewas. How long will we have to stay here?

 12th Jan

It was positively balmy overnight. 8 degrees, it hasn't been that high for weeks! Lovely to open the curtains and see clear water. A few floating sheets remained; those had been broken by nb Pilot when they left yesterday, so there was no excuse now for us to remain.

 

Before leaving, we filled the water tank and then Ian walked ahead to open the small footbridge and set Junction lock.

 

Saw Pilot again, moored almost opposite the facilities. They didn't get very far yesterday! Maybe the ice towards Keeper's lock was just too thick, even for an icebreaker. Anyway, this morning, although we did encounter sheets of ice on that pound, nothing to worry FS and Ian had Hunts lock ready and waiting as I approached.

 

 

In Keepers Lock

It was coming out from this lock that I spied what I thought to be a black cat.

 

 The lifting of its head and then running along the towpath had me thinking it was probably the unwelcome American Mink. 

 

I assumed it was a dog Mink because as it had a wee, it cocked its leg!

Looking beyond Common lock, I could see ice in places, but again, it was very thin. Thicker though towards Bagnall Lock, and I really had to put the power on after dropping Ian quite a way from the lock, as two boats moored close to the landing had FS's bow heading straight for them. A much thicker sheet of ice pushed the bow toward the first boat. I managed to miss that but had to reverse rapidly to avoid hitting the next. Thankfully, for once, FS behaved herself in reverse, going straight back, and I got myself out of a tricky situation...phew!

 

Stopped initially on the 7-day mooring, walked into town to stock up with supplies and of course, Coates the Butchers. 

 

 

We can never go through Alrewas without stopping at Coates. Their sausages, pork pies and sausage rolls are to die for. With Burns night on the 25th January, we treated ourselves to a haggis prepared by the butchers. The sell-by date was the 30th, so no need for freezing.

 

We walked back a different way, over a small road bridge close to the lock and noticed the moorings by that bridge were free. Having asked in the village about a coal merchant, we were told a 10-minute walk down Main Street to Ivy garage was where 25kg bags of smokeless coal were sold. So tomorrow, Ian will walk with our trolley to buy a bag, and therefore stood to reason that moving toward the bridge would be beneficial. He won't have to walk quite so far to the garage. 

 

 

Later in the afternoon, we walked toward Alrewas Lock. Oh, yes...A red warning board was present and the river gauge was well into the red. The flow was rapid, definitely not good for boats to try and navigate. Chains had also been padlocked onto the gate, so no one will be going anywhere until that comes off. We saw one of the CRT guys as we walked back to FS, and he thought the river may well drop in a couple of days. Fingers crossed. 🤞

 

 

Christmas has not left yet.

River over the towpath

The mill stream

Lock landing on the right. Water is nearly covering the bollards.