BCNS Explorer Cruise—day five

Day five of the Explorer Cruise and a short trip to Moorcroft Junction, Keith Gudgin writes.

Well anyway that is what it should have been, but the reality was totally different. After about a mile one of the boats had a rope wrap itself around their prop and they had to be towed the rest of the way.

Full of rubbish

Not a problem you might think, normally not, but on the Walsall Canal it was, as it was so full of rubbish and so shallow it was very difficult to tow any one at anything approaching normal speed. So all the boats behind had to go very slowly and because of that most of them went aground a lot and picked up more rubbish on their props meaning a journey that should have taken about an hour and a half took over twice that.

We did eventually get to Moorcroft Junction (Keith's picture above) and moor up, on special pins supplied by our leader and went for a walk to the Bradley workshop where they make lock gates etc.

Wander around

It was very interesting as we could wander around on our own and ask any of the staff any questions we wanted. We even know some of the lock gates that are being replaced this winter. There is even a plaque showing where two people were killed by a bomb dropped by a zeppelin airship during the first world war.

A walk back to the boats for a well-earned barbecue supper, various drinks a raffle and bed.