Hawne Basin

Here I am Rune

Distance 12 miles

Total 4946 Locks  341 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,345.5 miles

 

After a pleasant stay in Birmingham City Cente, on a fine day we’ve made the trip back to Hawne Basin (I think the boat knows it’s own way given the number of times we’ve done it). There was quite a bit of surface weed on the canal, but since it didn’t wrap itself around the propeller it didn’t cause any problem. It would seem that the canal maintenance isn’t really keeping up though, at the old toll islands there was a lot of plant growth hanging over the canal and when I went through the alternative side we then picked up a load of fabric around the propeller. Since it seemed quite shallow, and we were still able to make progress, I waited until we stopped for lunch at the Netherton North Portal to go down the weed hatch to clear it.

We’ll now be in the basin until we head for home on Tuesday.

 

Birmimgham

Here I am Rune

Distance 9.9 miles

Total 4946 Locks  338 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,333.5 miles

 

Taking full advantage of the fine weather we have indeed made our way into Birmingham  City Centre, I thought it would take about 4 hours but we seem to have done it in three and a half. Moored on the the Sherbourne Wharf loop were we have regularly moored in the past. There were 4 day moorings available at the Mailbox but the wind there today was pretty strong, and it is forcast to get a whole lot worse tomorrow and Thursday.

The plan is to stay in Birmingham until Friday so we might need to move moorings on Thursday, but if it is as windy as forecast we might forgo that option. Currently the weather on Friday looks OK for the return to Hawne Basin.

 

Shirley

Here I am Rune

Distance 6.5 miles

Total 4946 Locks  335 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,323.6 miles

 

Straightforward run today from the top of Lapworth to Shirley, fine weather and only three boats seen on the move, one fortunately as we got to Shirley Drawbridge so we had the benefit of them operating it for us. Originally I was hoping to moor on the Southern side of the drawbridge, but all of the mooring were taken. It turns out that the moorings on the Northern side are far better, more open outlook and the canal is a bit wider. The only real issue on the canal has been the fact that it is quite shallow, so we’ve only been travelling at about 2mph, not that it is a problem.

Tomorrow, all things going to plan, we should be in Birmingham city centre.