Fradley.

It has been a long time since we had a boat go past at 0030, and as far as I could see they didn't have their tunnel light on, just flicked it on every now and then. I wonder where they were going? We woke up to a fully blue sky and the sun playing on the panels. We were away at the normal time and obviously meeting boats at every narrow spot through Hopwas village.

Hopwas Wood was quiet except for birdsong and the sound of the trains passing on the Trent Valley Line. As we passed Fisherwick we noticed that the asparagus on the off side had been left to fend for its self as the many poly tunnels had been removed.

 Since Birmingham we had been travelling on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, even after Fazeley Junction. The company had built along the proposed route from there to Whittington as the Coventry Canal were playing hard to get with their link to the Grand Trunk Canal (to become the Trent and Mersey Canal). Eventually the Coventry Canal Company bought the section back. This explains the fact that the Birmingham Canal Navigation's system of giving bridges names rather than numbers is used from Fazeley to the junction with The Grand Truck. The Birmingham and Fazeley was merged with other canals in the area tyo become the Birmingham Canal Navigations. Bidge 77 is at Fazeley Junction and then the numbering resumes at Whittington at Bridge 78.

We stopped for water before the junction at Fradley and then I went to open the foot bridge for them to pass. (Still no lock on it). Chris and Helen swung out into the junction and powered to port infront of the few gongoozlers in front of the Swan.

Then half astern to bring the stern down towards the lock.

Then a bit of power ahead and the turn completed and heading back to the bridge hole. It was a shame it wasn't a Sunday as he would have had many more witnesses for his efforts.

After lunch we went for a walk to the cafe down the locks for an ice cream in the sun. The van is still looking good and must do a good job of spreading the name. Oh, I forgot it is now C&RT now.

The sun was shining when we got back and these two managed to find a spot where the sun made it through the trees. It did mean a bit of constant moving about though. I managed to get an undercoat on the remedial paintwork whilst they were busy doing 'other things'.

Before tea we wandered back to the Swan for a pint before we ate. There was still a few boats going backwards and forwards but all the moorings were taken so if they were looking to stop they would have to travel a bit further.