May 16
And now for something completely different..
As my regular reader(s) will know, my spouse and erstwhile
first mate has abandoned ship and left me rudderless in
the wild, wild wilderness of Central England. O Woe! I am
forced to cruise the dangerous waters of the canal system
alone and unprotected against the elements. If you doubt
there are elements, just try cruising alone through
Stoke-on-Trent. Fortunately, my stalwart brothers and an
old friend from the BBC have stepped into the breach to
help me out.
Enough of the nautical analogies. The plan this year is
for me to go ahead on May 25th, prep the aging Basil
Boat and set off for the Caldon canal. I will be
alone for a few days until I pick up my brother Michael in
Stone. The two of us will venture through Stoke, shotguns
at the ready, and up the Caldon canal. I am a famous
worry-wart and right now I am worried about my arthritic
ankles and Basil. The boat needs five new
batteries (or more) weighing 70lb each. Will I be able to
lift them into place? Will I have any electricity when I
first board Basil on May 27th? Will I be able to
operate locks by myself? Will it rain? Stay tuned for the
answers.
If I survive my boating fix, Barb will fly in and join me
on July 3rd and we will move into relatively salubrious
quarters in Willow Lodge on the marina. The rest of the
summer should be great - a week in Woodchurch, a week in
London and another in St. Ives, Cornwall. More news at the
end of May or beginning of June.
June 3
I have been unable to write
this journal so far because of a hectic first week
preparing Basil for action. Not that there were
major problems with the boat, just that it was a lot of
work to fit into a short time. Add to that the effects of
jet-lag and, all in all, it was a bit of a nightmare.
Leaving Barb alone in Phoenix was much more of a wrench
than I expected so I was feeling pretty sorry about
everything this week. The only major problem was
installing the new batteries. I had help from Azar, one of
the staff at Nadee, our favorite restaurant. He helped me
lift out the 5 old batteries and lift in the new Victron
AGM110's. They weigh 32kG/70lb each, so this was no mean
feat but we accomplished it fine. He would not take any
payment for his work, he said "just send me many
blessings". Then the trouble began. 8 of the old jumper
cables were too short to fit. Azar had to leave to go to
work but the staff at Midland Chandlers stepped into the
breach by cutting the new cables to length. Then I trimmed
the insulation and we crimped on connectors. I took the
cables back to the boat and spent a couple of hours
connecting everything. Finally, at 7 p.m. after 6 hours
hard labor, Basil was back on his mooring with all
systems go.
Last evening (June 2nd) at 8 p.m. I was able to leave the
marina and head towards Stone. It was a lovely evening after
a day of torrential rain and I did a short cruise to a quiet
country spot where I like to moor. On the way I saw the
cutest lambs only a few days old but already gamboling in
the fields with their mothers. All the waterfowl chicks,
too, are much younger than we usually see, as we
generally come later in summer.
Today I did a marathon solo cruise for 2 reasons: 1. To test
the limit of my ability (I found it) and 2. Because the
weather was fine and the forecast is not. I did 6 locks and
11.5 miles in 5.5 hours of continuous cruising. All the
locks except one were against me, the wind was strong and I
had no help at all as there are very few boats on the move.
The normally packed visitor moorings at Alrewas were empty
when I arrived at 2:30. My arthritic ankle was very swollen,
my knee hurt and I was exhausted but pleased with myself.
I really missed Barb today as I cruised past several places
where we had little adventures, pubs where we had good meals
and sights we enjoyed together. Not to mention that she used
to do more than half the work! She did all the locks, most
of the shopping and a lot of cooking, all of which I had to
do for myself today.
Here are a few photos from today:
New Vermin Chicks and Obnoxious Parents
The Approach to Tatenhill Lock
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Tatenhill Lock and Lock Cottage
One of My Favorite Locks on the System
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This parrot was on a boat moored opposite
It wolf-whistles everyone and then launches
into an amazing medley of old tunes.
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Basil Safely Moored in the Lovely
Village of
Alrewas Ater a Hard Day's Work
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June 4
In spite of aching all over from yesterday's exertions
and swearing the 6 locks solo was my limit - today I did 8!
Paradoxically, it was a much easier day. I set off from
Alrewas and the first lock, Bagnall, was in my favour. The
second, Common Lock, was not but I got through pretty quick.
Arriving at Fradley Junction, I was delighted to find that 3
of the 5 locks were operated by volunteer keepers. I stopped
there for 1/2 an hour to use the facilities and wander round
this icon of the waterways, mostly unchanged since the
1700's.
Fradley Mooring - on one side is the old British
Waterways Yard, now a tearoom and shop.
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.and on the other is the Fradley Nature Reserve
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Ascending Junction Lock
(Volunteer Keeper in red life jacket)
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The Swan at the Junction.
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Then off into the
wild green yonder. The canal here runs through a
tunnel of trees (right). The woods each side
were full of dappled sunshine and birdsong. At
the perfectly named and situated Wood End lock I
called it a day and moored up for the night.
Right on cue, the heavens opened and I am now
snug and warm in Basil's cabin as water
streams down the windows (left). Canal cruising
Nivarna. I collected a huge bruise from a paddle
spindle and my arthritic ankle is sore, but I'm
only slightly scathed by canal standards. It's a
contact sport. Coates' chicken & leek pie
for dinner.
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You Want Green? We Have It.
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Wood End Lock Bottom Gates
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The Tiny but Perfect Wood End lock. On the left is the
overflow weir. On the right, the entrance portal with the
lock cottage behind.
June 5th
Gloomy gray day today, which was a pity as I cruised
through some really pretty Staffordshire country. I
stopped in Rugeley for shops. Great shops (Tesco,
Morrisons) but what a horrible town! Must be one of the
most depressing places on Earth. The few people around
looked as though they'd stepped out of a Middle Ages
period drama. As I was leaving, a boater cracked a
'joke'. I was passing his boat and he said "Pity about
the mouldy throne." I asked "mouldy what?" "Throne" he
said. I thought about this for two hours and finally it
dawned. In Basil's bow deck is a camping chair
under a dilapidated cratch cover. Basil the King,
get it?
Anyway, on to more sublime things. I crossed James
Brindley's aqueduct over the River Trent, a staggering
engineering marvel of its time. Nobody had thought of
crossing a river over a bridge containing a canal, at
least in England, though the Romans had built aqueducts
carrying irrigation long before. It is still pretty
impressive today though I did my best to demolish it as
Basil veered out of control while I took photos.
Then I cruised along Brindley's Bank, a wild stretch of
waterway with great views over the Trent Valley towards
Cannock Chase, where deer roam and idiots shoot them. No
buffaloes. I fetched up for the night at Wolseley Bridge
and ate a fine example of fish and chips in a nearby
hostelry beside the river. No TV reception on the boat,
thank heavens for Radio 4.
Rugeley Town Morrings
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Rugeley Town Centre
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Brindley's Famous Aqueduct
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Wolseley Bridge over the River Trent
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June 6th
Chugged merrily along the
Trent Valley all morning in glorious weather.
Little (but deep) locks every mile or two.
Lots of traffic in the opposite direction, so
I mostly had help. I think I've got solo
uphill locks down pat. Nose in slowly to bump
into the top gate, leave the boat in forward
tickover, shin up the ladder. Close the bottom
gates. Open the top gate ground paddle slowly,
watching the boat for any surging backwards.
When the lock is full, open top gate and close
paddles while boat exits lock by itself. Jump
aboard as the stern slowly passes. Stop boat
outside lock and close top gate. Moored for
the night at Sandon lock and went for a walk
up to the pretty little village. I ate on the
boat but there's a great pub there for future
reference.
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Cruising the Trent Valley
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Shugborough Hall, glimpsed through the trees.
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June 9th
After Sandon I completed my last solo day with a short
section up to Stone. The moorings were packed because of
a festival and because of a dreadful weather forecast
for the next few days. I holed up there for two days
before my bro Mike arrived by train on Sunday 9th to
help out. We had dinner in the Star Inn, took on water
and worked the 4 Stone locks before nightfall.
The Old Joules Brewery Building in Stone
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Star Lock Scene
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View from our table in the Star Inn.
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Mick at the Tiller
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Quiet Reach of the T&M
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Hanging Out at the Lock
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June 11th
We
cruised up to Trentham Lock before the rain hit. This is
reputably the last 'safe' mooring before the unruly town
of Stoke-on-Trent. By then the forecast for the next day
(today) was so dire that we knew we would have to sit it
out. We did not like the mooring so I backed up to a
winding hole, turned round and went back through
Trentham Lock. We are now moored outside the Wedgewood
pottery in the rain. We have (probably) abandoned the
idea of going to the Caldon canal. I was very depressed
yesterday. A sleepless night, the dismal weather, no
television reception and our lack of progress got to me.
The rain poured down all night and continues as I write
at midday on the 11th.
June 14th
The weather continued, well 'abysmal' is the only word
for it. Somehow we miraculously dodged any major
downpours as we cruised back down to Stone. This area
has had more rain in 4 days than is normal for 6 average
months of June! The Trent is in flood and closed to
navigation further downstream at Nottingham and as from
today, the Alrewas river section is closed, so I would
not be able to get 'home' to Mercia right now.
For something to do we
cruised down to Sandon yesterday and ate at the Dog
& Doublet. Disappointing meal. Their aspirations for
pretentiousness have failed. The food was OK but
overpriced and the staff were going through the motions
but looked bored. It rained all night but our luck held
this morning as we sailed back to Stone and bagged one
of the coveted 48-hour moorings above Star Lock (left).
If you have to be marooned in terrible weather, Stone is
not a bad place to be. "The Birthplace of the Trent and
Mersey" is one of the finest canal towns in the UK.
There are lots of gongoozlers here and Basil
received many compliments on his new livery.
This is Mick's last full day and I will miss him. He is
an amiable and capable traveling companion and so fit
and athletic it's hard to believe he's over 60.
Hardy Navigators in the Rain
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Descending Star Lock on the way to Sandon
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The Infant Trent in Flood at Sandon
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Relaxing as the Rain Pours Down
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June 21st
On Mick's last morning we cruised up 3 locks to a
mooring close to the station. There I stayed for 3 days
waiting for Colin to arrive. On day 2 I decided to go to
Liverpool for the day by train (£14.70/$18.50 round
trip).
Mick working his last lock
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Henry James' Cat
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Stone Station, my Departure Point for Liverpool
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Crewe Station, one of the largest interchange
stations in the UK
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Virgin Train at Liverpool Lime Street Station
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Tall Ship in Dock
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The Canal and River Trust Showing-Off in
Albert Dock
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Snowdrop, one of the Famed Mersey Ferries
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In Liverpool I
walked around Albert Dock, took a round trip
on the Mersey Ferry and went to a movie. The
Polar Research vessel dubbed "Boaty
McBoatface" in an online poll but now politely
renamed Sir David Attenborough has now
been launched and it will be in service in
2019. It is being fitted out in Cammell
Laird's yard (left).
Colin duly joined me and he and I were finally
able to leave the confines of Stone and all
the bad weather behind us. The sun
sporadically appeared and the rain lessened to
an occasional shower as we went down to
Weston-on-Trent, a new overnight stop for me.
We dined in the Saracen's Head instead of the
Woolpack, the fine looking pub on the village
green, because the Saracen's was highly
recommended by the locals. They were correct -
we had a fine meal of grilled ling and new
potatoes.
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Hollyhocks and Bee
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Colin Arriving at Stone
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Weston-on-Trent Mooring
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The Classic Woolpack on the Green
(Pity about the Food)
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After Weston we cruised a short way down
to one of the most iconic places on the canal and one of
my favourites, Haywood Junction. It stands in beautiful
rural surroundings and is a hub of boating activity. I
could sit here on Basil's stern all day and
watch the boats, and I did. First night we turned right
and moored at Tixall Wide where the canal becomes a lake
and tonight we are back moored right by the junction.
The weather continues fine with a few fluffy clouds.
June 24th
Colin and I meandered very slowly down the beautiful
Trent Valley, ruminating on the bucolic scenery,
politics, and our early years in the BBC. This week the
BBC is rife with news of the Conservative Party
Leadership contest. Makes a change from Trump but
equally depressing and boring. It's high time Britain
was freed from the grip of Old Etonian leaders. How Eton
ever came to be regarded as a fine school is quite
beyond me. Students leave with massive delusions of
superiority, privilege and the inalienable right to
govern the country but with few actual skills. I got a
much better education in a state school. The quest for
knowledge and understanding that I learned there has
never left me.
At Wolseley Bridge
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Young Boater with Nurser Working Boat
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Just Another Brindley Bridge (#69)
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Trent Valley View, Cannock Chase in Distance
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Skittish Boat Cat
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Strangely Rigid Family
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Alfie
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Moored by Brindley Aqueduct over the Trent
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Brindley Turn
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I said goodbye to Colin in Rugeley, which
was a much nicer town in his eyes than the one I trashed
earlier. It did seem nicer, I must say. More people and
quite pleasant. But I turned round nonetheless and went
back and moored by the famous aqueduct built by James
Brindley, the architect of many canals in the 1700s.
Tomorrow I will go back into Rugeley to pick up my bro
Nigel.
July 1st
Nigel and I had a very
pleasant few days together, meandering along
the remainder of the Trent and Mersey canal
through Alrewas, Burton-on-Trent and
Willington to Basil's home base at
Mercia Marina. For once, the weather
cooperated and the scenery sprang into lush
life under the sun. The day after we arrived
at the Marina the temperature reached 30C
(86F). Indoors, it touched 90 - far hotter
than we ever experience in Arizona!
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Nigel and I Eating in the Crown Inn, Alrewas
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Contemplating Alrewas Lock
CLICK on most IMAGES to ENLARGE
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Alone at Alrewas. Unheard of in my previous
experience! Where are all the boats?
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Smooth Operator. Nigel at Alrewas Lock.
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Two days earlier this River Section was in
flood and closed to navigation, but by the time
we got there the gauge (left) was well into the
green safety zone.
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The Alrewas River Section is beloved by walkers,
anglers and boaters alike.
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Pleased to Avoid Plummeting Over the Weir
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Descending Tattenhill Lock
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Tattenhill Lock Bridge
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Blue Skies over Branston Water Park
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