BCNS Explorer cruise—day one

WHAT is it actually like to take part in the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society (BCNS) Explorer cruise? Our contributor Keith Gudgin tells you...

I'm doing the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society Explorer cruise at the moment and as there has been so much interest shown since it was last mentioned on narrowboatworld I thought it might be an idea to write about my experience as I cruise it during the week.

I will not bore you with a listing of contacts or joining instructions as full up to date details are on their website www.bcnsociety.co.uk/.

Often changed

The route we are following only applies to this particular cruise as they change it as often as they can to allow boaters who want to do more than one cruise to have a different experience.

We all met up next to the defunct Kinsley Arms pub on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal on Friday and our leader then gave us a talk on the week's activities outlining the route and what we could or should expect to come across and/or see.  We were then given our BCNS membership as this is included in the cost of the cruise for those who are not, or have not been, BCNS members.

17 boats

There are 17 boats taking part on this cruise, but don't get the impression that we all travel in convoy, as that is not the case. There is no regimentation about it as we get up and leave when we want as some like to start early and others like a leisurely breakfast, some like to stop for lunch others don't, it's up to you. It would not in fact be a good idea to travel in one large convoy as this would create far too much congestion at locks etc. We'll all meet up again at the designated mooring points in the afternoon.

On the other hand you're not just left alone either as there is help if you require it, just ask, and there are BCNS members on the route to help you through most of the locks, just ask about them and you will be told when and where they will be.

First day's trip

Out of bed early on Saturday for the off on the first day's trip of eight miles, Starting at about 0800 I was soon at the first of the three Minworth locks where help was at hand. Apart from the heavy rain showers I had an uneventful passage up through them and onto Salford junction to pass under the motorway knot they call Spaghetti Junction.

I found travelling through this maze of motorway bridges was a bit dark and daunting but it was managed without incident by all of us. It is a bit dirty and you have to watch you don't get any rubbish around your prop but I am told that the local WRG do clean-ups in various parts of the BCN from time to time so it may be this stretch of canal's turn soon.

Perry Barr Flight

Then you come to the first of the 13 locks that make up the Perry Barr flight. Again, help was on hand to lock us all up through these underused locks. The local lockwheelers, as they are called, worked very hard to get us all through with some of them cycling back and forth to ensure we all had any help we needed, and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to them. We did encounter a short stoppage at one lock as the paddle could not be fully closed but some assistance from the local CaRT staff soon had us all proceeding on our way again.

I have to say though, that if I was doing these locks on my own I would have found it very difficult as most of them lacked sufficient, if any, mooring bollards or rings at the locks to tie your boat to while you set the lock. Not a problem if you are multi crewed but a major drawback to doing this flight as a single crewed boater. Just getting the grass cut may have revealed some more bollards etc. but as it was I found them very sparse.

All 17 boats are now all moored for the night at the top of the flight in a very picturesque cutting but again, nothing to moor to so we have all had to resort to pins and I hate mooring to them.

Social evening

A slightly easier day is promised tomorrow, just five miles and nine locks with a social evening in the pub at the end of it. While some boaters go to the local pub here, it's a hot meal for me and maybe a video before an early night, as I'm knackered. I was looking forward to an on shore shower but it appears to have been vandalised as the light didn't work and the shower head was missing so that will have to wait until later.

Good night—part two tomorrow.