The Longest Day

Not actually as far as hours of sunlight are concerned, but more about getting well on with our journey so that we can be at the right place for Tuesday evening.

We woke fairly early and I decided to make use of the early morning to make a start down the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. We left the mooring at Cambrian Wharf at 6.45am with the weather promising to be bright but windy. It certainly was the latter to start with, and I had great fun navigating slowly past moored boats with a cross wind. It was more like yawing than anything else!

The promise of  goodish weather did not materialise and it drizzled on and off all morning. That, however, did not impede progress and, just before 1.00pm we moored at the top of Tardebigge Locks for lunch.

Decision time was upon us! So, rather than sit inside and watch the rain, we decided to don full wet-weather gear and tackle the Tardebigge flight. We entered the top lock at 1.25pm, and were moored up at Stoke Prior at 5.25pm. We only met four or five boats coming up but, because of leaky gates, we had to reset almost every lock when we arrived at it. Even so, it could have taken a lot longer, and it could have been a lot wetter!

Hot crumpets and cups of tea soon warmed us up - as well as the Morsø which had stayed in overnight.

It's not a dog's life after all!

Suzie has taken to life on board very well! She has slept most of the time, though we have taken her out on her lead for a couple of walks (trying to choose times when there are no dogs about!).