Photos from Terry - here's Sue and Maureen in the cratch and 2 Johns at the back - I presume I was inside washing up!
John appears to be struggling a lot more than is entirely necessary!
Me from my better side? hauling the boat in against a bit of a wind at Shobnal Fields - this is minutes before the storm hit us believe it or not - 10 minutes later there was thunder and lightening and it was pouring with rain!
Thanks for those Terry - and I hope this post goes on properly - otherwise I shall decide it's your fault!
We are now on a bit of a cruise - we left the Marina a bit late yesterday because we overslept but managed to get to Barton Turns - a marina a bit less than a day's travel on the canal - several locks but amazingly at almost all of them we met a boat coming out or a boat was coming in after us or both - this saves massive amounts of time and makes it a very easy process! Unfortunately it doesn't always work like that!
We went for a walk around Barton Turns marina and it is an amazing expensive shopping and eating venue but we didn't like the actual marina part which is really what it should be about - we aren't surprised that a lot of people are moving out of it - certainly not our cup of tea.
Today we travelled for a lot longer (having got up at a respectable hour) and have got through Fradley Junction and all the locks - it was very busy and we had to wait for ages for some of the locks. I was very impressed with myself as I was alone on the boat and managed to hold it stationary in the canal as well as actually moor it on my own between 2 boats which is a first! Certainly much more confident than I was when I first tried to take it through a lock on our first outings.
We have got to Handacre and have re-visited a pub that we found last year on holiday with Paul and Rachel - it's called the Old Peculiar and is excellent - only a few minutes from the canal with good food and beer - it's a Theakston pub so obviously the name is also served - from a pump which really impressed John - he had to test it fairly thoroughly!
This is how I like my locks - a boat coming out and leaving it open for us - even better was that another one was waiting to come down so we were able to sail out of it - heaven!
Out in the countryside and a lock where we were on our own!
Surely the largest goose family ever!
Barton Turns marina - very impressive pub and shops!
I did this on my own! I can now manage the boat on my own as far as moving off the side - getting through narrow gaps and into locks and taking it out of locks without getting in a stew! Someone actually asked me today if I was on my own on the boat - it shows how long John spends up at the lock helping everyone else while I get the boat sorted! To be honest he does everything else but it's at the locks that you get noticed.
We cruised for 6 hours today and went through 10 locks and travelled almost 9 miles! Bring on tomorrow!
By the way - hi to Kev and Angie (our neighbours on the marina) hope you manage to find the blog again!
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