Its been a long day today.. We wanted to get to the other end of the Erewash canal and not have to stop in the middle, so that we have a good run on the River Trent and the Trent &Mersey Canal on Sunday. Anna’s off this coming weekend to see friends down south, and we need to get to Burton on Trent as there’s an Enterprise Rent a Car there..
Its been a good week here at Langley Mill, and we will remember this place.. Filled the diesel tank yesterday and emptied the black tank.. so we were good to go nice and early on Saturday.. but it was a squeeze getting the boat to the diesel stage..
Alarm went off at 6:30.. got reset to 7:30.. 🙂 moved the boat over to the water point to fill the tank at 8.. kids up and we’re ready to go at 9.. So an early start for us really! And.. Someone is ready to watch the world go by as were travelling..
I know that fishing is not exactly the most energetic of “sports”.. but really.. an invalid car.. each day this guys been here.. fishing in-front of the “no Fishing” sign 🙂
Met a couple coming up the canal waiting at a lock for us – heading to the basin, let them know that all the spaces are full, as we were the last to leave, with the other boat there departing a few days earlier.. the lock was full, so we get first usage.. if the gates would close..
Closed the gates pretty much all the way.. the bottom paddles were open – but the gates were jammed 2″ apart, letting a steadily increasing torrent through.. shouted to get the paddles closed again and got the barge pole out to see what was blocking it.. There was something there, but it was not wanting to move.
Closing the right gate hard didn’t help.. so we opened the left and closed it as fast as we could to see if the water would move the obstruction.. after 2 attempts.. the gates would close, thankfully – as a call to CRT to get them on site to fix it would have delayed us both for hours!
Several locks need a bit of TLC along this stretch..
And swans chillin in the sun!
Only one stop to un-fowl the prop today.. Asda bag for life this time.. wonder if they will swap whats left of this one for a new one! Several low bridges and many more locks later we got to the bottom end of the canal and found a reasonable spot to pull in for the night opposite all the house boats that are permanently moored here.
Chillin on the stern deck, watching CC entertain passing Gongoogelers by chasin around after Luna, trying not to trip peaople up with the lead.. Oh.. a dog.. she doesn’t like that one.. she just doubled in size!! 😀 That’s a little but large puffy fluff ball running back on the boat!