Loads of commotion off our bow last night so had to go and look. The story goes....Three men fishing by the bridge, rod on rest, line across the canal and left unattended. Along comes a boat which collects the line and the rod on the bow soul plate. Shouts from one of the men and a sudden reverse by the boater. One of the other fishermen managed to fish out the float with his hook and retrieved the line but the rod was still somewhere under the boat. The fisherman jumps on a moored boat, grabs the line and managed to pull up the rod. One very lucky chap indeed as that rod could have been a mangled mess if it had made it to the prop.
This morning we walked to Coates Butchers. Purchased sausages (Stilton, leek and pork), lambs liver, beef and ale casserole mix and two very lean pork chops. Not cheap but worth every penny for the taste. Then it was back to FS, tiller on and about to head off when a two boats came past. Oh well, no point in rushing as Alrewas river lock was just through the bridge.
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| River lock |
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| River Trent |
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| Wychnor lock and back down onto the canal again. |
After Wychnor lock we spied felled branches....loads of them. C&RT have started cutting back the vegetation and trees along this stretch. This was too good an opportunity to miss so pulled in and started collecting. For any boaters that are in the Burton area, there is more than enough for the taking. Plenty on the towpath side and on the off side for those shallower drafted boats. We tried but just couldn't manage to get right into the side. Ian jumped off with the rope and then we had a right laugh about how he was going to get back on! But by driving the bow towards the bank and with a leap of faith, he managed to get his foot onto the gunwale and back on board.
We could have filled FS's roof but we remembered that the more weight on top and the more unstable she gets. We nearly found this out to our cost back in 2013 when I nearly tipped Ian and the roof fully leaden with wood into the River Trent as I made the sharp left hand turn into the Erewash Canal. The river was just off red boards at the time and the flow was interesting, to say the least.
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| Lots of this all along from Wychnor lock to Barton Turns. |
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| How lovely not to have all that overgrowth encroaching the canal. Planty of logs on the offside along here. |
Tattenhall lock and there was still a queue. But we only wanted to go as far a Branston Water Park so didn't mind the wait. On arrival, I was shocked to see that huge monstrosity of a bridge now overshadowing the road canal bridge. And building work has begun for housing, schools, shops and factory units. A beautiful place spoilt once again by building on green belt land.
Hardly anyone moored. Must be because it is the end of half term.
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| That new road bridge looks more like a huge wall. |
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| Sunset of sorts. |
And some photos of my walk at the water park
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| Goldcrest |
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| Wigeon |
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| And now for a stretch |
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| Well, we all need to go at some point! |
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| Wren |
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