Eventually we get to Burton

Wednesday, 27th July 2011.
Kings Bromley to Shobnall
12 miles, 13 Locks.

Jayne had her tooth fixed this morning and we left the Marina around 10 o'clock, first lock, Wood End, Straight through, the next 5 locks through Fradley were being operated by I.W.A and "The Friends of Fradley" Volunteers so little delay there despite a hire boat Trying to turn around at the Junction.

If Heineken ran the Canals all Locks would be operated for you.

We stopped at the egg farm just before Alrewas, the owners live on a Narrowboat moored on the opposite side to the Towpath so it's easy to stop along side there boat, a dozen extra large eggs are now in the cupboard.

At the Alrewas visitor moorings we past a Cruiser which had just lost the propeller from it's Outboard Motor, I could have recommended Halfie. who specialises in finding lost Propellers.

The Propeller-less Outboard Motor

There were also Volunteers operating Alrewas Lock when we arrived, we were warned of a long queue of boats at the next Lock, Wychnor Lock, due to a fault causing it to fill slowly, the warning was well founded as we found ourselves 14th in the queue, we were delayed for almost 3 hours.

After clearing Wychnor Lock we had no futher delays and arrived at Shobnall about 7.30, the Harbour Master pointed out our reserved mooring spot which is on the Towpath side, on the opposite side the Festival workers boats are moored 2 abreast which leaves the channel for boats passing through only 1 boat wide, so what happens when 2 boats meet travelling in the opposite, well one of them will have to pull into a passing place, these are gaps left in the line of moorings and signed" Passing Place" tomorrow we will see if it works.