Stafford

Here I am Rune

Distance 10 miles

Total 2599 Locks  122 Tunnels

Running total mileage 3603.6 miles 

The superb weather has continued in a really hot day today (I may even have some sunburn). The countryside always looks so much better in fine, sunny weather and the canals we are on are very attractive.

Now we are in narrow lock territory I am having to be a bit more careful on how to moor the boat in some of the locks. My preferred method is to tie the centre line to the bollard furthest forward in the lock. This stops the boat being pushed backwards as you open the side paddles, if you don’t do that the boat initially moves back and then accelerates forwards into the lock gate with a bit of a crash. If it is held tightly to the gate, this doesn’t happen. Unfortunately on one or two of the locks there has been a gap below the cill into which the bow button fender can get caught, so it has been a case of holding the boat back from the gate until the water has risen above this, not always easy.

Tomorrow the intention will be to get to Gailey ready to have the diesel heater serviced on Sunday morning.