Shiny is Good

With nice shiny hull and other re-painted bits I set out from Caggy's at 9.15am with fine weather promised until at least midday. How long would a scratch-free boat last? My answer, in the shape of Factory Locks, was not long arriving!
"If you want a scratch-free boat." said the man at Caggy's, "don't move it!"
I reached the top of the 21 at Wolverhampton at 11.45am, just as the first drops of rain disturbed the surface of the water. Time for an early lunch.
So I started off down the 21 at 12.20pm, leading a procession of others until No.15, where another boat set-off from a lunch-time break in the pound before 16. Nevertheless, I reached Aldersley at 3.45pm - somewhat like a drowned rat. A left turn here and a break in the rain saw me arriving at Compton just before 5.00pm.

Caggy's Here I come!

A fine day for a short trip through the tunnel to Caggy Stevens' Boatyard at Tipton in readiness for dry-docking next week and hull blacking etc.

Day the Fifth (and last)

A lovely sunny day to finish our trip. We left Merry HIll at 9.00am to head for Withymoor Island where I am leaving Chyandour for a couple of weeks before going to Caggy's for a bit of TLC.
Arrived at Withymoor at about 11.00am and after coffee, I went home for transport and Gwyneth packed whilst I was away.
An altogether enjoyable post-Easter break.

Day the Fourth

A lot of locks on the horizon today so we made an early start. The rain that was falling when we woke had stopped by 8.00am and we made good time to Wordsley Junction and up the first 8 locks of the Stourbridge flight. We got to lock 9 at 9.30am - but were still there at 11.00am!
The pounds above the next four locks were almost dry and there were 4 boats trying to go up. BW arrived and let some water through from the Fens Pools and eventually we were on our way again.
After a bite of lunch at the top of the 16 were set off for the next lot at Delph. Here we were much assisted by a local 'obbler and we arrived and moored at Merry Hill basin at 3.30pm. Apart from those spots of rain it had been another fine day.

Day the Third

Left Kinver mooring about 9.00am and pottered down to Whittington Horse Bridge to wind - this seems to be a new winding hole - very pretty - goes right into someone's garden!
Then back to Kinver and on to Stourton to turn onto the Stourbridge Canal. We decided to turn into the Stourbridge Town Arm and see if we could get a mooring somewhere near easy road access.
Fortunately there was an unoccupied space inside the private mooring area, and we got permission to stay the night.
I stripped off the alternator and David came and picked me up to take me to an alternator repair facility at - wait for it - Wombourne!
Whilst I was away, Gwyneth wandered into Stourbridge for supplies. The re-conditioned alternator was ready after a couple of hours and David brought me back to Stourbridge where I was soon able to fit it and restore charging facilities for the batteries.

Day the Second

The red light has not gone away, and the water leak has become more obvious.

At the exhaust end of the engine the exhaust manifold heat exchanger (Polar 1800) is a rubber end cap with a spigot tube for the connection to the skin tank. This cap has split along a seam in the moulding. A temporary repair with gaffer tape has reduced the flow, and the possibility of getting a replacement will have to wait until the company who bought out Polar a few years ago returns from its Easter break on 12 April.

So we left Stewponey at about 9.00am heading for Kinver, where we wanted to take the opportunity to walk up to the rock houses on Holy Austin Rock, which is in the care of the National Trust. The lower level houses are opened at weekends and Bank Holidays.

We arrived safely at Kinver by 11.00am and did some shopping before climbing up to the Rock.

There are some superb views along Kinver Edge, although the wind was really blowing gustily from time to time as we walked.

Day the First

Not of Creation, of course, but of a mini cruise after Easter.

We left Wombourne about 2.00pm, having repaired the shower mixer tap which had threatened to jeopardise the whole enterprise. I discovered that there are no isolation valves fitted on the water supply to the shower mixer so, when it leaks or needs to be disconnected, no water is available anywhere in the boat because the pump must be switched off!

The weather has been very kind, with sunshine all afternoon. We pottered down the Staffs & Worcs towards Stourton, meeting a number of boats en route. We arrived at Stourton just after 6.00pm and moored on the 24hr mooring above Stewponey Lock.

What will tomorrow bring?

Well, there is the small matter of the alternator light shining fairly brightly all the time. Is it the alternator? Is it the Adverc unit?

Then there is the water that appears to be escaping from the engine somewhere! I suspect a perishing water manifold end cap. As it is a special, I have no idea what we shall do if it finally bursts.

What fun!

I will keep you informed of developments.