This morning the tree felling contractor returned with a portable pump to try and re-float his boat. I went and had a yarn with him and he couldn't work out how the boat sank until I pointed out the outflow. After giving him a hand to plug a few holes to stop water re-entering the engine hole he appeared to be making slow progress so I left him to it.
Today didn't quite work out as planned but it all came right in the end. We had only planned to go as far as lock 50 and moor there but the water point wasn't where we expected it to be so we finished up going further than planned. Coming down past Western Road Marina there are supposed to be moorings but with Stratford Cruisers or Ethos hire boats as they are now known being moored 3 abreast there is no way anybody can moor opposite.
We carried on to just above bridge 69 where there are good moorings on bollards but being behind a pub we thought we might be a target for drunken idiots overnight so we carried on into the basin and moored on the pontoons. Due to a massive redevelopment going on at the Shakespeare Memorial theatre and surrounding gardens the whole basin is fenced off and you need your BW key to get in and out so we are very secure here. We will stay here for our 48 hours then move back to the bottom of the Wilmcote flight where Tracey can meet up with us.
While out for a stroll we checked out the river Avon which surprise,surprise has been running fast and high and is not recommended for navigation. Just as well we are not planning on going out there.
Something else that caught our attention was the street lamp's or lamp standards along Waterside which runs from the basin down past the theatre. They are all made about the turn of the 20th century or early part of, and they have been donated by councils from all around the world. Some of them are fascinating. Unfortunately they are switched off at present due to the re-development.
971 locks, 1323 miles, 39 Tunnels, 41 swing bridges and 19 lift bridges since Nov 2006
1 comment:
As another immigrant boater would like to get in touch. We live at top lock, N. Stratford Canal (No, 2) Please look in if you come this way. Jeremy
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