Day 32 - Tuesday August 1st - Kidsgrove to Stone
15 miles 2 furlongs, 15 locks, 8 hours 25 minutes
First boats heading for the tunnel, hoping for an 8.00am passage passed
me at about 7.20am. I was rather hoping they made it, and that the
first passage was indeed southbound. I was then planning to get there
by about 9.15am, so as to catch the second southbound passage. A quick
call to the tunnel keeper revealed however that the first passage had
been northbound. I decided to defer breakfast until after the tunnel
and set off after them hoping to catch them before they set off. Left
my mooring at 8.25am and arrived at the tunnel entrance at 8.40am after
three northbound boats had already left the tunnel. Still in time
though to become the third boat of three heading South. Into the tunnel
at 9.00am for a relatively slow passage. I was not held up by the boats
in front, but tried to take it steady because of the state of the
exhaust on Arun. Despite the repairs to the injection system last week,
the engine is still burning off the residue of oil in the exhaust
system, and under load can push out quite a bit of oily smoke. I didn't
want to throw too much of this out of the exhaust and have that drawn
past the other boats towards the big extractor fan at the southern
portal. The other two boats had a good head start on me, because I
grounded on a shallow spot trying to get into the tunnel, so they had
long gone by the time I got to the end. Moored up about a mile south of
the tunnel for a belated breakfast, staying there until the current rain
shower had abated. Got to Etruria Junction at 12.35pm, and started down
the Stoke locks. A variety of boats heading up the flight meant I was
through the flight by 1.40pm. Got to the top of the Meaford flight at
4.00pm, and out of the bottom by 4.55pm. Passed by a variety of ancient
boats heading for some rally at Buxworth basin. Top of Stone flight at
5.10pm, and out of the bottom lock at 6.15pm, where, having passed boats
moored all along the 48 hour moorings, followed by all along the 5 day
moorings I eventually found a space to moor. Spotted Nigel on Enseabee
when I passed him in the Stone flight, so I emailed him with my phone
number suggesting a possible impromptu mini-GiG. Fortunately, he
happened to check his email at some stage in the evening, gave me a call
and we met up in the Star for a few beers and a chat.
Weather - Sunny Intervals and Rain Showers, occasionally heavy
Tomorrow's Forecast - Light Showers
Terry Streeter
NB Arun - Stone
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