Perfect Harmony

Perfect Harmony
Moored at Huntingdon

Sunday 24 July 2016

24th July '16

A slightly longer day than I'd expected!

We left our mooring and John went on as usual to the lock while I pootled along, coming around the corner I was delighted to see a boat coming out of the lock, slightly less delighted when I spotted that there was a boat ahead of us and even less delighted when I realised that the boat coming out was an old working boat and that it was bringing a butty through. In case you don't know (and if you're not a boater, why would you?) a boat towing a butty has to come through the lock and then wait at the gates for the lock to be re-set to allow the butty to come through and then eventually move off towing said butty. A butty hasn't got an independent engine. Unfortunately I was holding on to the rope, keeping the boat in the side and hadn't got my camera, although I could see it through the window on the table. It's a lovely sight seeing an old boat towing a butty.


The top and final lock of the Audlem flight!


Market Drayton Wharf. We stopped shortly after this to fill the water and get rid of some rubbish. There was a hire boat there and the way they'd tied the boat up was basically wrapping the rope around the bollard as many times as they could so I offered a quick rope tying session and three of the ladies on board had goes at tying the boat up and they took a video of one of them doing it so that they could remember. I like to spread a little happiness wherever I go!!!!!!


Spotted in Market Drayton. We both did a boat handling course on this boat with Terry Robertson. It was excellent and I'd thoroughly recommend him. The boat looks shinier than I remember. Maybe he's polished it in the five and a half years since we were on it! I'd thought that we were going to moor there today but John felt that while things were going well we'd move on a bit further. Shame as there were loads of moorings there.


The Shroppie is a good place to see kingfishers usually, but we didn't see any today. We did see a lot of herons though, so this is as good as it gets! Sorry.


We came up the 5 Adderley locks without incident, apart from buying a pork pie, some eggs and some pork scratchings at the top from a little kiosk with an honest box. The 5 Tyrley locks were another matter though. Lots of by-wash again. You can see it across the pound here, it actually pushed this boat into the other side amongst the trees as it came out of the lock. Lovely.


These are the lovely old buildings at the top of the Tyrley locks, very historic but now as you can see renovated. At this lock, while I was waiting for the boat inside to come down, I suddenly heard a loud and obviously distressed yell. I knew that John was up there and would be able to help if it was needed and there was nothing I could do from where I was so I waited and apparently one of the dogs on the boat had fallen off the lock and went down the side of the boat, Luckily it was a skinny dog and the boat wasn't moving and all was well. It highlights the fact that these are dangerous places and need to be respected. When the boat came out the guy smiled at me and told me that he and John had both nearly had heart attacks! John later told me that when it happened they were having a discussion about how silly some people were to get stressed about things on boats, and how much better it was to let things pass......quite amusing in retrospect as he was anything but calm for a few minutes.


How Tolkienesque is this? The Shroppie means several things to me. Dark narrow cuttings with overhanging trees, horseflies, kingfishers, rocky sides, few moorings and .........


.....muddy towpaths.

Well we've seen them all today apart from kingfishers.

We got to Shebdon Wharf where we'd hoped to moor and there were no spaces so we tried to pull in just after the moorings but we could either get the back in or the front, not both. There are stone sides but just under the water line there are jutting out rocks and apparently these happen along the length of this section. We tried again a mile or so further on but that was even worse, Did I mention that it was raining by now?

Finally just after bridge 48 I spotted a short length of pilings (possibly the only ones of this canal) and we pulled in, managing to tie the stern and centre to the pilings and the bow is on pins. There's a bit of a jump to get out but not as bad as some and so here we are for the night. It's only a mile and a half to get to Tony tomorrow and I'm just hoping he's not on holiday, then we can get to Norbury Junction for John to get oil and filters because apparently the oil change is due. There's a nice pub at the Junction that does magic pies so I'm hoping for a good meal tomorrow. Mind you, I've done us a roast with lamb chops tonight so we're not exactly starving,

As you can tell I had a good internet connection tonight. Every day brings a different story! Oh yes and by the way we did 12 locks and over 10 miles today - and most of it was dry!

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