Here I am Rune
Distance 11.9 miles
Total 5346 Locks 451 Tunnels
Running total mileage 8114.4 miles
So the final day of the Autumnal Cruise takes us back to Hawne Basin. It was a novelty to be cruising back up Birmingham New Main line at normal cruising speed after having to reduce speed due to shallowness on the North Stratford, although there were some parts of the New Main Line that were surprisingly shallow. After passing under the M5 there was a section up to my dreaded Bromford Stop where it was so shallow that I had breaking waves on both sides of the canal even though I was only doing 2 mph.
I was a bit puzzled coming through Netherton Tunnel as there was duckweed inside the tunnel from end to end, why it hasn’t died in the darkness I have no idea. Once back onto the Dudley No 2 Canal from Bumble Hole it was back to reduced speed due to shallowness of the canal. Funny really as we approached the tunnle portal for Gosty tunnel we were going to slowly I though to myself,”I could bow-haul the boat quicker” so got off and tried, and yes, I did manage to bow-haul it quicker than it was going under engine power!
So now back in the basin and off on a holiday to the Continent on Tuesday.
