Fund Britain's Waterways

 Sunday 13th August 2023 

It rained!  We left our overnight mooring at about 10.00 am amd entered Birmingham, City Centre, mooring at the services just befiore the Mailbox to await the rest of the fleet. We wer there to highlight the need of adequate funding to keep the canals in gooid repair and as an national heritage asset and leisure resource.

 

We wer one of over 40 noats that gathered, sounded thir horns and listened to Zoom presentaions form the IWA Chailrman, Les Everidge, CRT Chief Exec, Richard Parry and others.  

The weather did not encourage much interest from the tow-path but ITV was there and interviewed The Best Mate for their report on Midlands Today.

After  the event we decided to cruise w=away form the city centre.

We motoored down the Main Line to Tipton Factory Locks. Here we were slowed by debris in the locks but were caught up by nb Little Owl who also was seeling an overnight mooring out iof town. He opicked up a coil of wire on his prop and needed some assistance as he is a single hander. We aited and them the two boats made thir way to Dudley tunnel entrance to moor overnight on the moorings adjacent to the Back Country open air Museum. 

We ate on board with the skippper of Littel Owl as our guest. 

12 Miles, 3 locks,  6 hours

Monday 14th August 2023  

Rain persisted so we cancelled our planned visit to the museum and  moved on to a lovely mooring at Tividale Quays, the ex Dudley Port. We wer welcomed by the chaiman of the liocalk angling society who was genuinely pleased to see us. From here we returned to Moor Streeet Station by bus and caught a train back home.

1 mile,  1 hour

Toward Birmingham, Summer 2023

After the climb up Hatton Flight Sonflower rested for a week at the very hospitable Mid Warwickshire Yacht Club. Our friends on nb Faithfull were out cruising and their mooring was available. We thank Ellen for the time and trouble she spent with regard to opening and closing the site for us and giving us a lift to the station. On return to collect Sonflower and take her forward we took the car and bicycle. 

Monday 24 July 2023 Crew, Best Mate and Suepercrew

Mid Warwickshire Yacht Club to The Wharf Inn, Hockley Heath

. The Best Mate and Suepercrew navigated to Kingswood Junction ion the rain while I drove to Lapworth and parked the car at the top of the flight andf cycled down to Kingswood Junction. The towpath is steep at the locks and treaturous in the wet going down! I waited sheltering under a large chestnut tree for Sonflower to arrive. We moored in the oinly vacant spot for a well deserved cup of tea. 

There wer a few hindrances on the flight but in the main we made good progress. We had the assistance of a pair of volunteer lockies for some of the way and three boats coming the down the locks assisted our passage up them. 

There always appears to be a paddle or two out of order in any flight of locks these days. This one had no date to tell when it became defective or the rain had washed the writing off because it was so long ago. I asked a vlockie why the repairs had not been carried out and he told me it was because there was no way of draining the pound to give access to the paddle wiothout putting many moored boats on the mud. It is therefore left until a full stoppage can be arranged. What hapoened to coffer dams and stop planks?

 

 

Here is a vlockie assisting with the top gate on a lock. Their assistance is always welcome. They also are a wealth of information. These particular volunteers would have given us the whole history of the Stratford Canal if we had wanted it!

Onwards and upwards. Sonflower disappears through a bridge into  lock 3. 

Once at teh top of the locks I once more go on my bike and returned to the car to drive to our expected destination of The Wharf Tavern at Hockley Heath.

The Best Mate and Suepercrew were happy to helm SOnflower there and we moored on the visitor moorings. 

THe car oark at The Wharf Tavern is camera controlled but customers get parking for 24 hours by registering inside the pub. Good value for a half of fine ale! Infact we decided to eat here for our main meal before driving back home

7 miles, 19 locks, 7 hours

 

Monday 7 August 2023  Crew: Eeyore and Piglet 

We returned to the boat at The Wharf Tavern via Wedges Bakery for a breakfast bap. The sausage and egg or bacon sausage and egg baps were delivcious and the sun shone as we ate on the tables outside the bakery. The bakery shop has developed quite a bit since we were last here. Wedges Bakery must be on every itinery on the Stratford Canal. It is so well worth it. We purchased a pork pie and scotch eggs to eat for lunch on hte boat as we navigate. 

Navigation was  uneventful until we got to The Shirley drawbridge. Our target was the moorings jsut past the drawbridge but the drawbridge was defective. Fortunately a hire crew had persuaded the cintractors who were in site to open the bridge manually for them and we tailgated them to get through on the same opening. We spoke to the contractors who were leaving site as they had to await spares fro the repair. We were just in time. 

The moorings were full and we moored on four pins in paired springs about eight boats from the drawbridge and just before the aqueduct. 

We walked to the A3400 and caught a bus back to The Wharf Tavern where we had a dinner, got back in the car and returned to base.

5.1/2 miles, 0 locks, 1 lift Bridge          3 hours

Wenesday 9 August 2923   I got a message on social mnedia that Sonflower was loose and had to be re-tied. I visited and moved her onto rings nearer to the Drawbridge Inn. I spoke to the contractors who were still ion site fixing the lift bridge. The whole mechanism and barriers were obsolete and spares are hard to come by. 

Saturday 11 August 2023  Crew: Eeyore, The Best Mate, Suepercrew

We took the train to Solihull and then a taxi to The Drawbridge Inn. We let go at about 1100 and headed toward Birmingham. We stopped atYardley wood moorings for a pump out and at a boatyard for gas. 

We made good progress and arrived atthe moorings  Sainsbury's at Selly Oak Junction to find Paws4Thought the Teddy boat on the moorings. We moored up and had a nice chat with these members of aour cruising club. They too were on their way to the Fund Britiain's Waterways Campaign gathering at the Mailbox.  We got provisions at Sainsbury's and settled in for the night.

7 miles, 0 locks, 3.1/2 hours 

 

 

 

Hatton again.

 Tuesday 18th July 2023, Wednesday 19th July 2023

We returned to the boat to find that the water pump had been left on and the water tank was empty. An inspection of the bilge showed that this was dry. So the contents of the tank must have gone to the canal.

Looking at the guide found the nearest water point was above Cape Locks so we got ready and turned at Saltisford Arm and headed to the locks. When we got there we discovered a working boat moored outside The Cape of Good Hope and a Napton hire boat moored on the water point making it very necessary to turn round. No problem! A very good job we do not have a 72 footer. Our 57 ft turned ok and we managed to get close to the tap. While the water was running the Best Mate prepared a meal of chicken and chips with strawberries and cream to follow. Dinner over, we headed back toward Hatton Flight and moored under the A46 bridge at the lock mooring of lock 26.

2 miles 0 locks 1 hour.

After a broken night, caused by the road overhead, the heat and the bright road lights we were still only half awake when nbHeron passed by. The skipper went out to ask them to wait at the second lock if they wanted to share. They did and we shared with Trudy, Chris and their dog right to the Top Lock. The volunteer lock keepers prepared all the locks a head of us enabling us to achieve what is a record for us. Bottom to top in 2.1/2 hours. With gates open all the way there was absolutely no hold up! 

nbHeron stopped to dispose of rubbish and take breakfast at the Hatton Top Lock cafe. We were tempted by the chalkboard

but headed on to moor opposite Mid Warwickshire Yacht Club where we were to moor temporarily on our friends of nb Faithfull’s vacated mooring. 

After another beautiful boat cooked bacon and egg brunch I took the opportunity to put 20 litres of HVO into the tank. Just after 2pm we crossed the canal and were very pleased and grateful to be offered a lift back to the car near the bottom of the locks. On the way we realised our hist had shared Stockton locks with Alex and I in June 2021 when we did our sunrise to sunset cruise.

3 miles, 22 locks. 3.1/2hours

Wigram's Turn to Warwick

Tuesday 27 June 2023

With new crew of a friend from way back we left the safe haven of Wigram's  Turn Waterside and Marina. We thanked Aquavista for their hospitality and hoped that their ebgineer hsd tightened our alternator drive belt. Their duty engineer said his colleague had said he would do it, so it should be done. It screamed when we started up so maybe or maybe not.

We only went to The Boat at the top of Stockton locks. Only the 3 Calcutt locks to work and we had company for these. Our friend took the tiller all the way. 3 miles, 3 locks   2 hours.

Friday 6th July 2023

This time with a crew of three we worked down Stockton Locks. The first one was shared with a Kate Boats crew that were under  training. “Let them do it” we were told. So we did. But after this we were on our own because they turned to learn how to go up a lock.

All was ok until lock 4 where I failed to notice the last crew had left a bottom paddle open. I left a pound behind a little low. After the Blue Lias pub, we were joined by Ripple Effect. They partnered us to the Long Ichington bottom lock where we moored on the side of The Two Boats and they chose the Cuttle Inn. 

After basket meals an a drink we were ready for bed.   3 miles, 10 locks, 2 hours.

Saturday 7th July 2023. 

We were up before 7 and noticed nb Rhapsody pass by. We quickly got our thing together and set off after them. They had already set off down Bascote staircase when we arrived but agreed to wait for us for locks 3 and 4. We partnered John and Sue and their two labradoodles all the way to Radford Semele bottom lock. We stopped for water at bridge 32 while they emptied elsans. They stopped in Royal Leamington Spa and we carried on, with one rain break,  to moor just past Saltisford junction.

7 miles, 12 locks  6 hours

 

Summer Cruising 2023

 Monday 12th June 2023.

We headed off northward and found that Hardwick Lock No28’s new paddles had been greased! The local CRT manager had promised his lads would do this offering " no excuses" in response to my moan, and this picture, that new equipment needed greasing.

Our next problem was a thunderstorm that insisted we moor just past Slat Mill Lock no 26. The Accuweather told us it would last til 6.30. In fact the rain stopped at aboit 7 and we started norrthward toward Cropredy and pur hope of a pub meal at The Brazenose Inn. 

Our hopes  were dashed by a CRT contractors workboat and hopper moored on 48hr moorings in this honeypot village.

With no moorings available we worked up the lock and moored just before Broadmoor Lock no 24. Here we fixed an imprompu spaghetti dish for supper and crashed into bed.

In the morning we navigated on to Fenny Compton Wharf arriving well in  time for a bus at 2.15pm. We had breakfasted on bacon and eggs at Claydon top lock.  However no bus was to be seen so we phoned a taxi to return home.

 Friday 23 June 2023

 We left Fenny Compton at 2.15pm and navigated the top level without any problems. We wete impressed by the progress of HS2.

HS2 Bridge 127A is srtucturally complete and the embanked line is easily charted across the Warwickshire plain. Much ado about nothing in my mind. Why so much land is churned up for two railway tracks I cannot understand.

We got to Marston Doles at 5pm and were down at the bottom and moored by the winding hole by 7.30pm to enjoy an on board prawn curry and rice with a glass of beer.

Saturday 24th June 2023

I awoke after 8.00 and theBest Mate was already up and about. She did not feel well, however and returned to her bed as soon as we had gor under way at about 8.30. We only had a mile ans a half to go to Wigrams Turn Waterside and Marina, part of the expanding Altavista group. we were met by their engineer and asked .to moor up only and the nearby empty pontoon. He will be adjusting our generator belts after their recent replacement at Tooley‘s in Banbury. We cooked a bacon and egg breakfast on board and were pleased to have the use of the facilities that a marina of this stature provides.

I had a walk around the marina and met many lovely folk. There is a mixture of wide and narrow beam craft and leisure and residential moorers. Their is a nice atmosphere around the place. Their is also plenty of birdsong. Skylarks reed warblers, garden warbler, chiffchaff and house sparrows are in the reed beds and robin and thrushes sing from the hedgerows. One moorer said they are still singing at 3am. Most plentiful are mallards and coots. These are of course taught to beg at the swan hatch from a very early age.

Banbury to Wigrams Turn        22miles, 21 locks,  13 hours in 4 days cruising.

 

 

 

 

Out and about again!

 Hopefully our troubles are behind us!

We have actually been on a trip. Only to Cropredy and back but we wanted to give the boat a bit of a shakedown cruise to ensure that we are fit to go longer distances again.

SONFLOWER has been in a bit of bother for a long time.  Autumn before last, yes, in 2021 we were taking two grandchildren for a little trip and it became much littler than we had expected. The grearbox siezed. River Canal Rescue fixed us up by January 2022. They had no spares to recondition our gearbox so we agreed that they exchange it for another. However the new ione did not fit and the engineer did not want to do steelwork midifications in order to make it fit. So we ended up waiting for spares and getting our old gearbox back in the boat in reconditioned condition in January 2022. A new drive plate was fitted as well. 

We managed a cruise to Milton Keynes in June 2023 for the BCF/Canal Ministries mission in Woodeaton. A good time was had by all but we came away feeling very "coldy" and half the other crews that had gathered went down with covid. We managed to get teh baot back to Banbury and then succumbed to it ourselves. 

The next event for SONFLOWER was a short cruise to Fenny Compton and back by some good friends in celkebvration of a birthday. Unfortunately, at Claydin Locks on teh return trip SONFLOWER refused to start. I managed to persuade her with a hammer but they did not turn off the engine again util they got her back to the hime mooring. A goos job too as she would not start again. RCR attended and fitted a new starter motor on 22 August 2022.

We did manage to get out again to the Autumn BCF gathering Fazeley and the outward and return journeys via the North Oxford and Coventry Canals were very uneventful. 

Over winter other family matters dominated. A hospital admission for The BestMate's mother over Christmas and then an emergency admission for surgery for one of my sons. However, SONFLOWER made sure that she had a look in by overunning during a routine battery charging run in November. This panic inducing occurrence was curtailed by stalling it the engine when ramming it into drive. This  siezed the gearbox! RCR Engineer freed it up ands checked it out OK. Phew! Overunning happens when the engine finds a fuel source from otehrthan the injector pump. However the casue of the overun was a little trickier. The engineer went first for the cheaper option of changing hte fuel lift pump as the diaphragm can perishs allowing fuel to enter the sump. It oproved not to be this and the injector pumo was removed for reconditioning. The report came back that failure was due to particulate matter in the fuel resulting in shaft seal failure. This put it into the realm of wear and tear!  With the other  more important family matters I lost the will to argue.

SONFLOWER did attend Tooley's dry dock in the last week of March for a small amount of overplating that had been identified by the last hull survey in 2021 and routine hull blacking. A couple of other tasks were identified. I had the fuel system cleaned to ensure that there was indeed no particulate matter that could jeopardise the recon injector pump. A new swan neck bearing has been fitted; a battery monitor is fitted; the electrical wiring has been tidied and brought back to marine specification to reduce fire risk; batteries have been aligned to charge evenly and an isolator fitted to prevent a winter drain on the batteries by the invertor. In investigating for the above, an engine foot was identified as cracked and the engine and shaft has been completely checked for alignment. 

This last coupkle of days the boat behaved well. Ther is very little vibration on the helm. The alternator drive belt did not scream. The Alternator voltage and cabin voltage indicators almost matched whichthey have not dine for years. But he cruise was not uneventlful. We came up behind a queue at Boughton Lock No 27 to find that tehre was soemthing stopping the bottom nearside gate shutting. Much effort with poles and boat hook faiked to ckear it and CRT were called. They were 1.1/2 hiours away but oince they had arrived with the right tool for the job the obstruction was soon moved aside and boats wer once more goinf up and down as required. Was this down to failing brickwork whihc was evident in teh gate recesses? It was late by now however and two boats decided not to descend but to stay where they were. We cruised on until sunset and moored just past Slatt Mill Bridge 157. This morning we set off at about 7.ooam and turned in Crioopredy to make our way back. Just after Slatt Mill Lock No 26 we were faced with very low water. Some of the ten boats that had been held up at Boughton lock the evening before we marooned and tilting as this pound had lost a foot of water overnight. It was impossible for my son to get to the bank to get me back on board after doing the oaddles and gates so I walked on to Boughton lock. Her I met up with Longleat, a new very expensive hybrid electric boat that was being single handed from Crick to its new life on the Kennet and Avon Canal. It was remote controlled from a handheld radio controller! 

We moored at 10.00 am for a well deserved back and egg breakfast. 

We are now looking forward to a Summer cruise to Birmingham. All over familar water but I am sure that it will be fun.

2023 Cruising to date: 10 miles, 8 locks, 2 Lift bridges 8 hours

The Trip Home 2021

 The Boaters Christian Fellowship have a weekend togetehr at Fazeley each Autumn. We had a good time there but it left SONFLOWER on the visitor meeoings at Peels Wharf for a night on her own. I and Piglet parked the car at Athertone  near the Top Lock and took a bus ride to Fazeley to re-join the boat. The bus broke down in the girosystem over the M42 and delayed us an hour.

27th September 2021 Fazeley to Poleworth. 

But in good spirits we set off just before 2pm and made Poleworth without incident for an overnight mooring near Limekiln Bridge. The maps pointed to the Royal Oak, a "gastropub" within easy walking distance and we arrived there at about 6.30 to find that they no longer serve food. Where to eat in Polesworth? The landlady didn't think we would find pub food anywhere. The chip shop? Chinese takaway? We had eaten Indian in Fazeley and did not really want to go back to the Bull's Head that has an indian restaurant above the bars. We walked into the village and saw a sign that indicated that that Fosters Yard served food. When we entered we were told by the barmaid, "look at the menu, press that bell and someone will take your order". Here was The Yard Spice, an Indian takeaway. "Could we eat in?" I asked. "I suppose so, sit at one of the tables round the corner and someone will come out to see you". We sat a the first of six empty tables in the long dining area. A server shortly came with menus and we bought drinks from the bar. The menu was very extensive. The server, who was one of the partners, told us that they try to cook everything fresh. Piglet ordered a tandoori platter and I oredered a lamb sashlick with bombay potato on the side. It was very good. The platter could have served two at a pinch but Piglet managed to get through it. The locals in the bar smelt the food and started to comment "I might have a shashlick myself" "I didn't know you could eat in" "That looks really nice". The Partner came out and we chatted for a bit. They had only been working there for about htree months. We wish them success in the future. 

6miles 2 locks   3.1/2 hours

28 September 2021 

The target today was Atherstone Top Lock. We set off later than usual at 0840 and got to the bottom lock at 1045. I lock wheeled and walked betweeen the loicks for the first six and then Piglet took over to lock wheel the flight up the hill. There were a coupe of boats coming the other way bit in the main we were fiollowing another boat and emptying down after them. These are "pauper's pocket" locks: slow to fill and quick to empty. 

I had a lovely conversation with an ex-teacher who taught miners' children during the Miner's Strike. She described the area as it was when the collieries were in full production. A bygone age now. "Mining people were good people", she said "A real community". Grendon, Baddersley and Orchard Collieries were mentioned.

We achieved the summit at about 1pm. Packed up and got in the car to return to Banbury. Piglet had had enough for the time being.

We moored on the visitor moorings just past Colehill Road Bridge.

4miles, 11 locks, 4.1/2 hours.

 

 

Worcester to Tamworth and beyond

 It is a long time since I blogged. However that is not because life has not been exciting. 

Sonflower was one of many boats at the IWA Festival if Water in Worcester over the August Bank Holiday weekend. This festival was arranged on the Worcester and Birmingham canal to celebrate 75 years since Tom and Sonia Rolt met Robert and Ray Aickman at Tardebigge Locks and the IWA was born. 

The festival was  a good weekend but low in “footfall”. The Worcester festival was in full swing with a line up of 100 bands and there was a lot of other attractions in the area. There was not much of a chance for boaty stuff either: the canal is not suitable for boat handling competitions or boat trips.

After the festival we moved down toward Worcester for boaty stuff like a pump out at Worcester Marina and a mooring near to Bridge 5 for a crew change. Sue left us and Alex came on board. Our bilge pump float switch failed so I had to get a replacement to fit when we returned. I rigged up a temporary bilge pump to tide us over and ensure that we were safe on the Severn. 

Our first challenge were the two wide locks that lead from Diglis basin to the Severn. Here, a couple of local moorers made things very difficult. As we were coming out of the top lock having set the bottom lock they opened the bottom paddles to drain the lower lock with the top paddles still open, The lady who did this was deaf so could not hear Alex shouting. He managed to retrieve the situation quite quickly but not before the intermediary pound had been lowered by about 18 inches!

Their local knowledge di provide a recommendation for dinner. We moored on the Severn beside the race course. £4 a night pay and display. We went to the pub htat was recommended to find that food is only served on Thursday to Sunday. We went to the kebab house instead. We did go back fir a beer as they had their own pale ale. It was quite good.

In the morning we set off up the Severn and made good progress. I was dreading the locks as Diglis lock had been firce and I thought they would all be like that. However they were quite gentle. Highlight was an otter seen swimming across the river ahead if us. Apart from that it was a bit of a boring trip to Stourport. 

We stopped in Stourport for lunch which was the remainder if the previous evening’s kebab! 

Onward again this time taking in the fabulous achievement of the builders of the canal who hewed channels out of stone cliffs to form the meanders and follow the contours. All the locks seemed to be identical in dimensions and fall. It was very enjoyable and we managed ti make out target of Stourton in good time. I had left the car here and used public transport to return to Worcester so we moored up on 5 day moorings to return home. 

Our only problems were made by the lack of repairs to paddle gear. Quite a few locks had only on paddle on the top or bottom. On top gates this was not really a problem because these locks have gate paddles which fill locks quickly but a single bottom paddle slows the process considerably. I spoke to a couple of CRT operatives wHo were tasked with fitting a pinion spindle to a paddle. They had difficulty deciding which gear train to fit it to as both paddles were equally worn! They only had one spindle with them. Other locks had leaking gates and some beams had been bound up and boxed in to keep then together until the winter stoppage season. It had all the signs of a wait til it breaks maintenance policy. 

Another navigational problem is reeds. Why are they allowed to reduce the canal to a boat’s width? It is difficult to see oncoming boats. 

From Stourton north The Best Mate was on the boat. We enjoyed the canal and made excellent progress to The Anchor Inn at Coven. Here we had a really enjoyable meal before locking the boat  up for another week. Here there was no 14 day moorings as all the mooring between the bridges is designated 48 hours. We had no option but to overstay. There were no other boats moored when we left!. 

Suepercrew came with us on return and The Best Mate and she navigated to Penkridge while I drove to Fazeley and returned by bus. I had fitted a new bilge pump float switch and put the temporary pump away. We cruised without problem onto Trent and Mersey Canal. At Fradley bottom lock we found the broken paddle gear had been covered with a  purpose made cover. Apparently it had been ot of action for months.

We had to make a stop at The Taft for a cup of tea. Peter and Julie have sold their wooden boat but still offer hospitality to all who want it and have set up very adequate safeguarding precautions to maintain their self shielding against covid

We achieved our aim to be in Fazeley for the Boaters Christian Fellowship conference weekend.

The weekend was lovely. The first opportunity to meet together on person since Lockdown 1 in February 2020.

The Best Mate and Supercrew returned to home for a short while and now Alex and I are taking Sonflower a little further and nearer to her home mooring. 

Blackpole to the Town Centre

 Monday 30 August 2021

We left the IWA Festival of Water at 1630 to meet our allocated spot at Bilford Top Lock at 1700. Locking down these and Gregory’s Mill locks proved no problem and we moored for the night at Lowesmoor visitor moorings. We then went for a meal at the Blackpole Inn. We only went there because our hostillary of choice, The White Hart was closed on Mondays, Bank Holiday and all. Rough and ready place but vey good rump steaks and chips. Suepercrew left us after dinner to return to Grand-parenting duties in the morning. 

On return to the boat I discovered the starboard navigation light was hanging loose. Investigation showed that there had been a short circuit where the cables went through boat cabin plating and heat had melted the plastic to release the fixings. I opened out the hole, fitted new tails with crimped connectors, selected washer to allow the existing screws to be reused but failing light prevented me finishing the job.

1 mile 4 locks 1 hour

Tuesday 31 August 2021 crew Eeyore and the Best Mate

We had things to do and people to see. First we let go to move on to Lowesmoor Basin (Worcester Marina) for a very necessary PUMP OUT. We backed in and moored close enough for their very long pump pipe to reach the fitment at the rear port side of Sonflower. We took on water while the very friendly operator did the business. Nb Morning Mist was taking on diesel and I watched her attempt the starboard turn out of the basin. It was unsucessful and Kate Saffin, a very experienced boat woman, had to retreat and use the winding hole opposite to effect the turn. I learned from her mistake! We paid up and left, empty at the stern and full at the front. We attempted to moor on bollards just past George Street Bridge No5 but it was too shallow. I really think moorings should be deep enough to moor at! We moved on a little further to moor again this time on two rings and a pin. Leaving Sonflower again to get back to the car at Lowesmoor visitor moorings for return to home for the Best Mate’s hospital appointment.

1 mile 2locks  2 hours

Wednesday 1 September 2021 crew Eeyore and Piglet

We returned to take Sonflower ontothe Severn. the forst thing was rhe discovery that a suspected dodgy float switch for the bilge pump was in fact a failed float switch. The bilge pump had been failed in the on position and switch controlled form the distribution board but now it was to tally non operational. I rigged up another small pump that I keep for emergencies with a longer discharge hose and leant on tothe engine bay to position it. My brand new Samsung S21 phone slid out of my pocket into the bilge! Responding to my cries Piglet bravely got down in his best jeans and retrieved it. After wiping it off it still worked! But it has a notification that moisture was detected in the usb port and charging was to be discouraged. The phone spent the night in a bowl of rice and it is now ok! Samsung claim that it can be immersed for 30 minutes. I have only tested it to about 3 and did not intend to test it at all. 

We then proceeded to Diglis locks 2 ans 1. Between them nb Get Knotted opened the bottom paddles while We had the top ones opened to fill the lock in our favour thus almost emptying the inter connecting pound. All was retirived quickly and w locked onto teh Severn with a Star Cruises hire boat that had very boisterous children. I advised the crew to put life preservers on them. “Yes we have got some on board”  one of teh maternal crew members said. They took no action to actually get the children to wear them!

So onto the Severn and an overnight mooring on the Ci ty Council moorings at the Racecourse, Sabrina Bridge. £4.00 Pay and Display. We went to  PaulPry pub which was recommended by Get Knotted. The kitchen was closed. We went to Turkey, The Best Kebab house and were very satisfied coming home with a box of surplus doner meat!

1 mile, 4 locks 2 hours

Alvechurch to Blackpole, Worcester

 Monday 23rd August 2021. With Alex as crew we returned to the boat, readied and left to navigate Tardebigge and Stoke locks, aiming for the pub in Stoke Works. Alex took the tiller after Tardibigge tunnel and I took the bank duties. With a mix of locks set for us and assistance from three oncoming biats we were soon to in full swing and the temperature and sunshine. We changed over at Lock 40 when I was flagging and stopped for lunch at lock 44. 

We finished the day with an awfull meal at The Boat and Railway. Sour beer and overcooked mussels!

  8 miles, 36 locks, 7.5 hours.

Tuesday 24th August 2021,

I let go at 6.15ish and watered at Stoke Water point. Then I proceeded to Astwood Locks and single handed the first three with assistance from the CRT lengthsman while Alex slept on. Alex apoeared to navigate out of lock 3. The lengthsman had advice when the top gate did not close easily. “ Open the bottom paddle and let it slam, you won't close it otherwise without hurting your back!” He commented on the bad condition of the balance beams with some boxed and one wrapped in gaffer tape. They are-due for replacement next winter. 

The stretch to Dunhamsted was very reedy. At times the canal is single width and visibility is awful..

Late breakfast sufficed for lunch until we finished boating at Bridge 18 and were on our way back to Alvechurch by bus and train. This journey was long and difficult. We stopped for fish and chips and a chicken burger at Reddich bus station. Google did not do us well with the connectins and we could have got a train an hour earlier than she directed. 

9 miles 14 locks, 7.1/2 hours

To Alvechurch and almost calamity.

On Monday, 16th August 2021, SONFLOWER had her overdue Boat Safety Scheme examination. I was prepared. I had installed a new CO alarm and written the date of installation on the back; fixed down the batteries so they could not move in any direction; replaced the battery covers; checked that the stops were screwed into the window reveal so that the kitchen window could not close the last inch; refitted and cleared out the vent holes from the fridge exhaust; sealed up the bilge pump electical connectors with self amalgamating tape (effectively IP57) as they might get dislodged into the sump. She was ready.

There was a small gas leak from the test point on the Morco water heater. There was no fibre washer fitted to the screw during manufacture. The test point has never been used by us. With no spare washer readily available, PTFE tape (the yellow coded gas safe variety) was used to make a replacement and all was well. A PASS. Well done SONFLOWER. 

Our "overstay" period completed, I decided to leave Cambrian Wharf for  Alvechurch to complete another link in the journey to Worcester. We need to be there on Friday 27th August or the day before ready for the IWA Festival of Water. I set off at about 11.00 and had fair weather apart from a few spots of rain. I decided to stop in Selly Oak, on the moorings just south of Sainsbury's Supermarket, so that I could purchase a sandwich for lunch on the tiller. The moorings were empty so no-one to meet. In fact it was all a bit deserted. 

After setting off again it was a very nice cruise until I approached Wast Hill Tunnel. This was not a problem either. I followed another narrowboat that was about half way through when I entered and there was no oncoming traffic to contend with. I made good progress and found the tunnel reasonably dry.

After the tunnel I started to meet oncoming traffic and in particular hire boaters setting out from the large hire base at Alvechurch Boat Centre. The first was cutting a bend to his port side. There was no way I  could pass to his port side and by putting the engine into reverse he made it impossible to get out of my way and the bow swung across my course. I went into full reverse and stopped short of a collision. I advised the steerer never to cut bends. He will be aground next! The next incident was at a bridge hole on a bend. As I approached a hire boat emerged. I reversed and retreated to allow him to pass but he reversed his engine as well, losing steerage and ending up stemmed to the bank on the outside of the bend. The next was a weaving hire boat. I assumed that the steerer had just taken over and was not used to steering the "opposite way" but a moored onlooker assured me they had been similarly weaving the day before! Next I came across a day boat on which it appeared the crew were being instructed in the art of using a winding hole to turn. It was a short boat but they managed to stem it up on the far bank rather than introduce the boat into the hole itself. I crept through behind them with a gentle toot and left them to it. The next was at another bridge hole on a bend, this time the steerer was accompanied by boatyard staff, hooted his horn to let me know he was coming and we passed without incident. I thanked them for letting me know they were there!

I was by then almost in Alvechurch and started to look for a mooring. However, when I enquired of the staff on the boatyard wharf where a 14 day mooring might be they scratched their heads and replied that ALL the moorings in Alvechurch were  48 hours. Needing to leave Sonflower for longer than that, I slowed to a dawdle as I passed the marina and I was glad to have done so. The bilge pump started to discharge and I noticed that there was a little oil in the water. Where did that come from? I thought. The pump carried on at full bore and I was now very concerned. Either I had split a coolant line and swamped the engine bilge or water was coming from elsewhere. I stopped the engine and lifted the engine bay cover to find water half way up the Gearbox and the weed hatch two thirds off. The strongback was on the deck. There was water everywhere.  John of Alvechurch Boat Centres saw my plight. He told me to get the boat over to the wharfe if I could. I poled it some of the way and then checked the level had been reduced well enough by the bilge pump, replaced the weed hatch cover and tried the engine. Thankfully she started. I am so glad I waterproofed the bilge pump power supply!

John was joined by Ian and they pulled the boat round to a pump out point that could take oily waste where they dealt with the water and a small surface film of engine oil in the engine oily bund. The boat floated up into its usual trim. I made arrangeents for a short term berth, started her up and moored her. She will rest be there for about a week.

 

 My Facebook post of yesterday reads:

"Here is Sonflower floating in Alvechurch Marina. An hour ago she was sinking with the weed hatch open. I thank God, the bilge pump, experience and John and Ian of Alvechurch marina for their assstance in keeping her afloat and pumping out the engine bay."

 

I thank my many Facebook friends for their comments and good wishes.