Stayed put
Then it was that day when the country was splattered by heavy rain and gale force winds, so moored at Fishers Mill Bridge on the Birmingham & Fazeley, we stayed put for the day. There were four boats that braved it, one boater telling us he had to get back, and another passing at a fair crack, but with the wind in this situation it was sensible, as slowing right down could easily have had him hitting us or stuck on the bank should the wind have caught him. It was actually on this pound that we saw a boat so stuck in the side, well held in by the wind.
When we arrived, there was a bridge showing on the stream passing under the canal, but by late afternoon there was little of the bridge left at view. And in the morning none showing, as can be seen in the picture, and this stream led into the Tame that eventually feeds the Trent, though below Alrewas.
A day of sunshine at last, so we beetled on towards Alrewas, but first a tree down by the firing range on the Coventry. Though it was obvious other boaters had squeezed past, the branches were a little too close to our paint work, so out with the cutters, and through, without of course a scratch.
Licenced
One thing that really impressed was the lack of boats without licences. Even the crummiest was proudly displaying an up-to-date licence. It was not until the top end of the Coventry that we noticed clutches of unlicenced boats, with no few moored by Streethay Wharf.
It was exactly two years since we cruised the Coventry Canal, and I well remember the large notice board announcing 'Outstanding New Marina' being constructed, later found to have the rather pretentious name of King's Orchard, offering over 80 berths, but at the time just a big hole. But alas it seems another most likely influenced by the quick-buck returns from all those non existent boats needing berths. Yes you have guessed—it's still just a big hole!
I just wonder how many others were persuaded by that British Waterways gang that was set up to persuade people to build, what has proved to be unwanted marinas, and came a cropper? There are one or two holes about. Is the gang still in existence? Wouldn't be at all surprised. Perhaps here I should mention that the latest admission is that there are now well over a thousand boats less on the waterways that two years ago. So on the assumption that its statistics follow the normal course, that could be at least three thousand less.
Still open
On to Alrewas, and surprisingly the Trent was open, though a little high as can be seen, but after then there was only the very occasional boat approaching — a bad sign. Seeing the state of the Trent on our way down it was obvious that with both the Tame and the Dove pouring into it, it was in flood. And of course, the Derwent too was not helping matters.
This was confirmed when we reached Shardlow and saw every single mooring selfishly taken up by Canaltime boats, both by the Navigation and along the canal bank, so for the third time we could not reach our moorings at Sawley, a disadvantage of mooring in a river marina, but we did managed to squeeze in by the Malt Shovel, and a waiting game.
Before then, boater Brian Atkin had generously offered us his mooring space above Shardlow Lock, refusing to take payment—his boat being stuck in the flood at Holme Pierrepont—but the strong wind put paid to us attempting to reverse such a long distance. But thanks Brian, very much appreciated.
This cruise was somewhat on the wet side, but we still enjoyed it, simply getting dressed for the part, and having shorter cruising days, appreciating a comfortable boat and of course the chat from fellow idiots!
Victor Swift