Two lumps of something and two Heros.

 This mornings start was delayed....

But not for too long in fact.  The sun came out and although it wasn't as clear as yesterday it was still fabulous.

David had moved the car ahead to Bratch Locks.  So when he returned we moved off.

We struck lucky today, very lucky with the volunteers, today there were three on.  All was going well, up came WaL in the first lock, I had a gentleman of advanced years instructing me and definitely advising with far more information and knowledge than was on the instruction notices.

I felt in safe hands! 

So here is where we had goofed up when we were descending some days ago, we had forgotten to raise the blue paddles.   Notice the second gates behind the blue ones....

Still going well

A former toll house I presume, 

This is where it all went wrong, David was waiting for us (Me and three pensionable gentlemen) to open the gates that would not budge.  I called David up from down below to help but no joy at all.  David was then sent back down to nudge the gates with WaL's well cushioned nose, it moved an inch then shut again, so David put his foot down so to speak and finally the blockage gave way and the gates opened.

The volunteers were not far off leaving for the day, we were in fact the last boat of the day.  One gent told me that it hadn't happened in months, but it had happened with the first boat of the day and with us the last boat of the day.

Had these knowledgeable gents not been there I think David and I would have had to of reversed out of the locks completely and waited until morning to ring CART or see if any volunteers arrived.

So the blockage dislodged and we were on our way.  But see the young man with the bike?  A volunteer asked him to help push and heave and he said no I can't I have slippy shoes on.

I met the owner of this boat when moored at Greenforge years back, he'd painted it himself and said it had taken 5 miles of masking tape. 

Bit of a squeeze to get from side to side when trying to operate this lock.

This property is for sale if you are interested.

Well it was about this time when we got a phone call from home, a family problem that needed me.  (Not my mother I hasten to add)  but as we went along from Bratch to Compton we were both making plans and suggestions as to get David back to Great Haywood as I was needed.

Can you guess Reader who came to our aid?  Frequent Flyers to this blog may have guessed.

Yes The ex-Boat Sharers, Amanda and David didn't hesitate.

When we got to Compton and got up the last lock of the day, David got his Brompton out and he made me a coffee in my Keep Cup to take with me, I squashed myself into my cycling padded shorts under my trousers and remembering to take the car keys with me cycled back along the tow path to Bratch some four miles back to retrieve the car, then drove the can back to WaL who by now David had brought along to Coven and to the pub there where I packed a bag and kissed him goodbye.  There are 12 or 13 locks between Gailey and Great Haywood and David did not fancy doing them single handed going downhill with the prospect of getting caught on a cil.  There are two marinas but one said no and the other said maybe.

I'd collect him next week.

So weren't we lucky to catch those ex-Boat Sharers aka Amanda and David back from Canada and in this country for two or three minutes before they were due to depart for France for six weeks.

They changed their plans, drove from Cambridge to Staffordshire the next morning, planted their car in our marina, got a taxi to Gailey where David the next day had brought WaL along to meet them.  One night aboard WaL at Penkridge and then down to Great Haywood.  

David spent the remaining few days cycling and watching cricket, which I think he quite liked.

A few locks down from Gailey, working hard.

Here, Darling Lewis (as I call him) they had the same problem as David and I had had at Bratch, an object caught under the lock gate preventing it being opened.  Darling Lewis spent 25 minutes unblocking it.

This is a photo from the archives but I nice one of the two saviours.

Amanda and I met just the 48 years ago.

So that was the end of my boating for this year.  

Six days later I drove back up to collect David and drive him to Buxton where we went to a talk by Jeremy Bowen form the BBC entitled "Truth Under Fire" a very thought provoking and a interesting evening.  

David and I were to have stayed three days at Buxton in my favourite hotel but just the one night then home again to help family.

I can't thank the Lewis's enough for Saving our Skins, we owe you.