Hawne Basin

Here I am Rune

Distance 12 miles

Total 4946 Locks  347 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,369.5 miles

 

A reasonably pleasant stay in Birmingham, had a look around the German Market, went to Aston University for a swim,steam and sauna, had my annual session on the ice rink without coming to any harm and had a meal out, so all in all fairly successful. We also took the opportunity to catch the train from New Street to go and visit wife’s sister, delivering and collecting Xmas presents and cards.

One thing that was noticeable in the city was the absence of trip boats, I don’t know what is going on with them, last year the water taxi was passing several times a day and the party boat was coming through in the evening, this year nothing at all, must enquire to see what is going on.

The weather for the trip back to Hawne Basin was the winter ideal, almost no wind although a bit chilly. There does seem to be some weed developing on the Main Line, mainly between Bromford Stop and the Netherton Tunnel arm, I can see how it gets carried around the system though since when we got back to Hawne Basin I went down the weed hatch to clear some crud off the propeller and the water there was full of this surface weed.

That’s it for this year, probably back some time in May 2024.

 

Birmingham

Here I am Rune

Distance 12 miles

Total 4946 Locks  344 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,357.5 miles

 

So, for what will undoubtedly be our last cruise for the year, we’ve headed into Birmingham once again. Chance to finish any Christmas shopping, look around the German Market, go for a swim at the University and anything else we feel like doing.

There has been some canal maintenance going on since we last made the trip in September, the toll islands are now clear of vegetation, although they didn’t quite clear enough at the one near to Engine Arm. The channel through the island was clear but you couldn’t line up to enter it or steer out at the other end without ploughing through the bushes, so I decided to go on the ‘wrong’ since since there was nothing else on the move (except the one boat we passed going up the Dudley No 2 Canal). The weed is curious since from the bottom of Brades down to Bromford Stop there was a lot of surface weed (that didn’t bother the propeller at all) but from then into Birmingham it was pretty clear. Someone ought to do a scientific study as to how and why that happens, as we passed the entrance to the Walsall canal, whilst the New Main Line had a load of weed on, Walsall Canal was totally clear.

The plan is to stay in Birmingham until about Friday and then head back to Hawne Basin.