Day 16 - Sunday July 16th - Birmingham to Hopwood 9 miles 2 furlongs, 0 locks, 4 hours
Didn't manage to get out of bed until about 11am, then showered and wandered down Farmer's Bridge flight to St Chads Cathedral for ringing at midday. Already loads of people there, so abandoned that and went straight to the pub instead. Stayed there chatting and drinking until about 2pm, before setting off back to the boat to start the journey to the GiG. Set off from Cambrian Wharf at 3.05pm in a most inauspicious way - collided with the island at Old Turn Junction whilst distracted. Of course, on a sunny Sunday afternoon there had to be hundreds of people watching :-( Eventually got round the obstruction and turned left through Broad Street Tunnel (which is actually a bridge!). Negotiated Worcester Bar without further mishap and set off for a slow run along the top section of the Worcester & Birmingham. This section seems shallower than I remember, and I had quite a struggle in one or two places. I managed to run aground once or twice about ten feet from the bank - a distance I would normally consider puts you firmly in the main channel. Going through a narrow bit under one of the railway bridges, I actually ground to a halt a few feet after clearing the end of the narrow channel. Forward and reverse seemed to have little or no effect, much to the amusement of a few youngsters. Of course, there is now a boat waiting for me to get out of their way, as they approach from the other direction. Eventually managed to punt the boat past the obstruction and back into the deeper (ha ha) water. Stopped at the water point just beyond King's Norton Junction to refill the water tanks. Took the opportunity to clear the prop of an accumulation of rubbish which clearly wasn't helping with the shallow conditions. A boat which had been thinking of mooring before Wast Hill Tunnel changed their minds and decided to follow me through the tunnel. Not sure if they had some kind of electrical problem or were just messing about (I suspect the latter), because every so often their tunnel light would go out. This was invariably followed by a large echoing boom as their boat collided with the tunnel wall and then the light would come back on again. I'm quite glad I wasn't following them, but I felt a bit sorry for the two boats going through the tunnel in the other direction. Tied up for the night at 8.15pm on the moorings outside the pub at Hopwood. Wandered in for a couple of pints and a pack of crisps (the kitchen had closed ten minutes earlier). Was hassled by a small dog which looked pleadingly at me with eyes that seemed to say "My owners are complete bar$tards, they haven't fed me for about three years. I will probably die of starvation in the next hour, but one or two crisps could see me going for a bit longer". Needless to say the dog got nowhere, so he eventually wandered off to try his luck with some other customer. Weather - Sunny Tomorrow's Forecast - Sunny Terry Streeter NB Arun - Hopwood ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Something is new at Yahoo! Groups. Check out the enhanced email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/SISQkA/gOaOAA/yQLSAA/ygtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
