When we woke up this morning the sun was blazing down on us with 100w coming in from the panels. It soon warmed the boat up after a clear night. W got off about 09:30 and threaded through the boats.
Last time we passed this way they were just finishing this length of piling. It now means there is loads of room to moor in Rugeley, and not too far from the supermarkets and town either.
Then there were the work boats of Rothen that were continuing the piling right up to bridge 67. I wonder why this length of towpath got the nod for piling rather than loads of other places that would seem to need it more? Did the local council put some money in the pot as the moorings must bring people and money into the town, even if it is just the high street supermarkets, as they provide locals jobs too. The tow path work between Kings Bromley and Fradley is being carried out by Canal and River Services of Weston Wharf which we will pass later today, but is not the size of Rothen.
I wondered if this female mallard was just having 5 minutes peace and quiet from the kids as there are loads of ducklings about now, as well as plenty of goslings from the Canada geese, and we have also ween a few little moorhen chicks.
Just near the Brindley Trent Aqueduct are the 'Bloody Steps'. This is where the body of Christina Collins was brought up from the canal after her body had been discovered after being murdered by the crew of a fly boat in 1839. She had asked for help at Stone and hence the little statue at Lock 94 that has been cleared at last.
Helen sat catching up with the ship's log as we cross the aqueduct. There is a fair bit of water in the Trent, but not as much as I had assumed.
This is the first time I have seen this little mooring free for ages. It is on the way To Colwich Lock and a little before Taft Wharf. It got me thinking about mooring as nobody seems to ever moor on pins anymore, unless there is no other choice. We are as to 'blame' as anybody. On the Kennet and Avon you would have nowhere to moor if you didn't have a plank and were able to leap ashore to secure to pins. Everywhere with a bare mooring of piling or coping stones is taken up with the many boats that are not really on 'a voyage of navigation' (or whatever the term is). This then led me to think the reason that most people give for preferring piling is that boats pass too quickly and there is every chance that the pins could be pulled out and the boat set adrift. I have talked of mooring with your ropes better, but it maybe a chicken and egg thing. Do people moor on piling or rings so as not to have pins pulled and does this then encourage people to pass more quickly? Maybe a few brains could be put to better ways of securing the boat in the ground, different sorts of pins. They would have to be able to sink into all sorts of material and not cause too much damage to the structure. Tricky.
The run to Wolseley Bridge with the Trent on the port side and Bishton Hall on the st'bd is very pleasant, but more so at this time of year with the bright greens of new leaves.
The sun was still shining as were the Gods as we approached Great Haywood Junction as there was nobody on the water point so we pulled in and had a quick top up. Rothen had a few units on the field opposite the junction and services in the camping field. They have put a surfaced pound on one side and it looks like they are to have a big campaign that will involve bringing in lorries of something. Already there were baulks of timber, looking like fender timbers.
We got a very heavy, but very short shower as we passed Haywood Marina entrance, and then met our marina neighbour at Hoo Mill lock where we had another heavy downpour. We were soon dry afterwards however as the sun was soon out again.
We are booked in to the Saracens Head at Weston but there was no room at the inn for mooring as once again folk had left big gaps. We continued on to the next spot and moored up. The sun shines once again. The walk to the pub will give us an appetite. Looking forward to grill night now!
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