Shireoaks

Here I am Rune

Distance 1.3 miles

Total 1366 Locks 71 Tunnels

Running total mileage 1952.6 miles 

Prudence being the better part of valour we decided that today we would only go the short distance to Shireoak Marina and tackle the flight of locks to the end of the canal tomorrow (weather permitting). If we hadn’t done that the likelihood was that today would have been a very long day. We put into Shireoak marina to take on water and empty the toilet cassette and I was rather hoping that there were still some visitor moorings in the marina but, having spoken to some moorers in there, it is no longer the case. They gave me the rather heartening news that CRT had fully enclosed the marina and put the visitor moorings outside following threats of violence to boat owners in the marina by local yobs , not really what I wanted to hear! We eventually took the boat back out of the marina, not helped much by strong winds and moored on the visitor moorings outside.

Having gone back into the marina for a shower I was talking with another moorer who tells me that the ‘dredger’ and weed boat had gone to the head of navigation within the last couple of weeks so I am (sort of ) hopeful that we’ll get to the top without grinding to a halt due to lack of depth or weed fouling the propeller, well here’s hoping!