Shiralee Cruise 2011 #15

Monday 4th July.

Having read through the previous blog, I noticed that I tend to ramble a bit. The most obvious of those rambles sees me switching back and forth between different days. In reading that blog I became somewhat confused as to where I was, so I rather suspect my readers are equally confused. I suppose a wee bit of rambling can be acceptable in someone of my years and creaky joints and I do hope you are able to sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. However, whilst the rambling may give some of you a chuckle or two, I would rather not confuse you too much. To this end I shall read each days offering and edit as necessary.

Note to self: Must try harder!!

Tuesday 5th July.

Yesterday morning we cruised along to Wombourne, a jounry that took us through several locks, including the staircase set at Bratch. We had intended to moor there overnight and, when Sheila spoke to the lock keeper there, he pointed down to the bottom of the locks to tell her where to moor. For some reason, best known to herself, my dear wife wandered past the spot where I thought we would be mooring up, and simply carried on walking. By the time she stopped we were at the next lock, with nowhere to go except down.

We eventually arrived at Wombourne and stopped, ostensibly for the night. We then took a walk to find the local shops and, bearing in mind the problems I am still having with my legs, discovered them to be well over a mile away, and all uphill. Still, having found the shops and picked up a few bits, the trip back was all downhill, with a welcoming pub at the end of it. A couple of pints of Stella went down very well. The surprising event of this trip to the village of Wombourne, was the price of individual pork pies at the local butcher’s. £1.55!! Most village butchers are pretty reasonable, this one we class as a greedy pig. At the Wheaton Aston store, where they sell pork pies that originate from a local butcher’s, they were just 99 pence each.

Around 4 pm I decided I wasn’t, after all, too keen on staying at Wombourne, so we headed off to Swindon. On the way there we came to another set of staircase locks, standing at the top of which was a woman, who waved us on as if to suggest that, as she had filled the top lock up, we should come ahead and use it first. This is normal procedure at single locks.

However, since I had to let Sheila off the boat first, we pulled in and she jumped off to have a word. It turns out that this woman had, all on her own, travelled from Gloucestershire and her moorings on the Gloucester and Sharpness canal. Being confused as to the operation of staircase locks, as she so obviously was, begs the question, just how had she travelled all the way from Gloucestershire without running into serious problems? Anyway, Sheila decided to allow this woman through first and send her on her way, she still had the Bratch staircase of three locks to do and, by the time she reached them the lock keeper would have gone home.

Having finally seen this woman through both locks and to the top, she promptly got stuck with a huge piece of log wedged between the boat and the lock side. Removing the offending article, by the simple expedient of bashing it with a pole, took about 15 minutes and we sent the lone boater on her way.

We eventually arrived at Swindon at about 6 pm where we found a really nice 24 hour mooring spot and settled in for the evening. These moorings are on a short stretch of canal between two locks and with houses backing on to the canal on both sides. A very pleasant spot indeed.

This morning, after Wifey popped off to get the paper, we left at about 7.45 and headed for Greensforge, where there are, according to Nicholson, 48 hour moorings. Said moorings consist of room enough for just one boat, the rest of the space being taken up by long-term moorings and moorings for the lock and water points. We therefore had to go down through the lock and moor up a short way further on. And here we will stay for the rest of the day and evening.

Wednesday 6th July.

Today, as per the weather forecast, does not look promising, with heavy rain clouds overhead. I’m not sure where we’re heading for today, but will text when we get there.

As for yesterday, it seems I spent most of my time sending emails back and forth to different people and I am currently in the unenvious position whereby the only emails I am able to send through Outlook, with any guarantee of success, are replies to those received. I had thought that, by removing my own address from my Blocked Senders list, the problem would be solved, but we’re still in the same position.

Happily the rest of yesterday passed pleasantly enough, with a lunch of a Combo for Two at the Navigation, which lies just across the bridge. Last time we passed through here, which was about three years ago, we sat outside in bright sunshine and watched the world go by. This time, due to horrible rain, we were obliged to sit inside. Combo’s are great, a mixture of chicken wings and thighs, plus salad, breaded mushroom, onion rings and potato wedges, and all for just £5.95p. Oh, and don’t forget the garlic bread. Yummee!

It is now 06.15 and peeing down with rain. Happy days. Don’t suppose we’ll be moving on early today, if at all. Although, the forecasters think the rest of the week will be worse, right up to the weekend. Still, although these moorings are 48 hour, we’ve seen no evidence of BW wardens around of late and, on previous occasions, have been able to flout this little rule, as have many other boaters I have no doubt. We avoid cruising in heavy rain and we have plenty of food and milk to keep us going.

We also have plenty of time but, if this wet weather continues, there is a real danger of us missing out on cruising the Severn and Avon this year. We are hoping to take the River Severn from Stourport to Worcester. We also want to do the newly opened Droitwich Canal and the Avon up to Stratford. We tried this once before, but from Stratford down and only managed three miles, when the river went into flood and we had to wait for it to recede before going back to Stratford. But, judging by this rain and the forecast, I now have my doubts.

Thursday 7th July.

After a great deal of heavy rain yesterday we are hoping for better today, because we have to move from these 24 hour moorings.

I spent much of yesterday emailing back and forth to Sandra, who has been helping me to sort out my emailing problem. She also advised on how to request a ‘send/receipt’ when sending such emails. Unfortunately the instructions she sent did not agree with my version of Outlook 2003, but I eventually found the correct way of setting this up. This is only a temporary set up and will be removed as soon as the problem ceases to exist. Meanwhile, I have again forwarded an email from Alan, one that was returned to me after a previous effort to forward it.

This morning, when I first tried to forward this email I received an error message, telling me that although MS Word had been configured as my email message medium, MS Word was no longer on my computer. The message also suggested I was running a version of Word that was incompatible with the version of Outlook!!! What was that all about? Ye Gods, as if I don’t already have enough problems with this pesky machine!

That problem solved, I then re-sent the email. Hopefully you will receive it and I can remove the ‘send/receipt’ application. Now, enough of this malarkey. If successful, no more needs to be said. If not, then the letter I have drafted to ‘3’ will be sent and I will be using Yahoo for a while. Enough is enough.

Today we should, weather permitting, be going on to Kinver.

Friday 8th July.

The weather was fine enough yesterday for us to move on to Kinver, a rather quaint village with severe speed restrictions going through the centre. We took the time to walk into the village and were surprised at the range of shops there, Waitrose and the Co-op were represented, as were a butcher, baker, a bank and Post Office, along with a pub and various other small shops.

We did our main shop at Waitrose before realising that the Co-op was almost next door and before we were aware of the existence of the butcher and baker. Still, having purchased a loaf in Waitrose, we bought another at the bakery, which left us with far too much bread for just two people. However, Wifey makes a rather good bread pudding, so we have an enormous dish of same to wade through.

In front of us at our moorings were a couple of boats whose occupants obviously knew each other because, later in the afternoon they set up the bar-b-q. This is not uncommon on the cut and these get-togethers can become rather rowdy at times. This group however were very reasonable in their behaviour and had retired to their separate boats by 9 pm.

As for television reception, well, that was almost non existent. Having tried to set the TV up on digital and failing miserably, the set took over and tried tuning in an analogue signal. This was a wee bit weak but watchable but, yet again, apart from the new series ‘The Killing’ on Channel 4, there really wasn’t much worth watching.

This morning we decided to move on to Whittington, which is only a mile further on, with just one lock to go through. In moving to these moorings we had hoped for better TV reception, and this was indeed the case. Unfortunately, despite pointing the aerial in the same direction as the local houses, we are still on analogue. However, the reception is far stronger and we have clear pictures on the first four channels.

Tomorrow we will move on again, this time to Woverley, which is about three miles and one lock away. We will first stop at Cookley for a Saturday.

The bad news is that, due to the severity of the rain over recent days, we don’t think we will be attempting the River Severn this time around. Once bitten, twice shy where flooding is concerned. So, on Monday we will move on to Kidderminster, where I will be paying a visit to the local ‘Three’ shop, which just happens to be a very short walk from the canal. I have already written and posted a letter of complaint to their Head Office in Glasgow, but I feel I should show that I mean business by a personal appearance. Armed with a bunch of printed out ‘returned’ emails, I am hoping they will use their ‘phone to talk to a technician within these islands, rather than one on the Indian sub-continent. I’ve had some success with this approach in the past, but it only works if the staff at the shop are interested enough in one’s problems.

O.K. Seven pages complete, most of which has everything to do with my problems with emails, and little to do with anything of great interest. Still, it is only an online diary aimed at friends and family, so I hope you all understand the frustration I’m feeling.

One final note to end with. Although I will continue trying to forward emails using Outlook, those that are returned will be sent again via my Yahoo address, which you should already be aware of.

Love and best wishes from the Chamberlain clan, consisting of:

Dave, Sheila and Rusty.