Tyrely Wharf

Here I am Rune

Distance 1.6 miles

Total 734 Locks 26 Tunnels

Running total mileage 1094 miles

Getting here was a bit more ‘exciting’ than I would have preferred. Although we have only come just over a mile and a half along the canal it involved 5 more locks, the second of which had a pretty vicious by-weir. Having seen it as I approached the lock I lined the boat up aiming at the by-weir and on that side of the canal expecting, as usual, the by-weir to push me across as I entered the lock. I wasn’t prepared for just how forceful the by-weir was because as the bows passed into the flow it was thrust across sideways pointing it directly at the lock wall. To lessen the impact I slowed the boat down but the unfortunate effect of this was that the by-weir pushed the whole boat sideways and wedged it on the rock shelf just below the water. The usual policy for getting free when you run aground is to go back the way you came, but since I’d run aground sideways and the flow was holding the boat there this wasn’t possible. I first tried pushing the bows out but this achieved nothing since the stern was stuck. I then tried pulling the boat using the bow rope but again it was too firmly wedged. I managed to use the bow rope to pull the boat across the canal but couldn’t move it forwards so as soon as I released the rope the flow just pushed it back again. A guy from a following boat came to assist and whilst he pulled the bow across, I got back on the boat and with considerable effort managed to get the stern off the shelf. As soon as I’d managed this it was back to the helm and full throttle forwards and, after ramming the lock wall we managed to get the boat into the lock. No damage caused but a 25 minute delay whilst we freed ourselves and a lot of aggravation. 

Due to a change in the weather (more rain) it looks as though we will probably stay where we are at least until tomorrow.