We left our peaceful overnight mooring (with useful built in 7 o'clock alarm
from the scaffold yard opposite) at Brettel Lane Bridge by 9am and made our
way to the top of the Stourbridge locks. I used the trusty lock wheeling
bike to set locks in front as well as behind for Brian and Diana on Harnser.
At lock 3 I met the first set of bottom gates that would not stay shut for
re-filling. After running back and forth a couple of times I opened a top
paddle before returning again to close the offending bottom gate. Although I
did manage this lock on my own I had to enlist the help of a woman walking
her dog to get the bottom gates of lock 16 to close even with all the top
paddles up.
Above lock 9 there was a BW work boat (reg. no. 4000001 - what a cool
number) that was blocking the canal. I climbed on and managed to pull it
back across to the offside where I found that the padlock tethering it to a
tree had been bolt-cropped. I re-secured it using ropes I found laying
around and then had to be rescued from the off-side by Brenda on Jannock who
had been worked through lock 8 by Diana. I phoned BW to advise them that it
required urgent attention to it's mooring security. Down through the clear
waters from Wordsley Junction to lock 17, there were a group of kids jumping
and swimming in the canal. As we slowly passed I enquired of them if they
were aware of Weil's disease (Leptospiral Jaundice) and then explained to
them what it was, how you got it and then wished them good luck. As we left
they were busy re-dressing themselves. At lock 17 the local trip boat "the
Blackcountry Man" was tied to the lock landing whilst all the customers were
partaking of their lunch. Very useful!
Down to Stourton junction where we turned right onto a section of canal that
neither Brenda or myself have ever travelled on before. We moored for the
night at Hinksford bridge, only after I had reversed across the canal to
harvest ripe plums from an overhanging tree before tying up. We are dining
aboard Harnser tonight before going to try out the Old Bush up the road.
Graham
www.jannock.org.uk
