BOATS AND CANALS

Quite a problem, let us know your new route.

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Laurie Booth
http://www.pamelasalem.net

Your challenge is starting early Graham.

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Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

We are off to the boat shortly, the crew are all meeting at Calcutt at 12:00, then it is straight off down into the Avon Valley. I've just realised that the Hatton stoppage is on the day we need to come back down. So we could do a very long day on Monday the 25 and do both Lapworth and Hatton in one go or sneak we could sneak through the top lock on the day of the stoppage before they stop it or go round the Northern Oxford.

Cheers Graham

Good Luck GRAHAM and most of all ENJOY yourselves.

Of course this is also for you and your CREW LAURIE and anyone else who hasn't admiited to taking part.

The forum awaits your FULL reports.

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Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

Good luck guy's and galls have fun.

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Pete Russell NB SORCERESS

Thanks for all the words of support. We finally got going around 3pm and have now come some 10 miles and descended 23 locks. We are moor
ed at the south end of the pound that goes through Leamington. Very slow internet so photos will have to wait. Cheers Graham

Don't worry about the photographs until you come back, just take as many as you can.

Thanks for the update.

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Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

We are heading for Hatton, this is last night mooring.



Cheers Graham

have a great time graham, hope you all enjoy yourselves....

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.... my memory,s not what it used to be.
also my memory,s not what it used to be.

............................mike.

Up Hatton in 2 hrs 20. Now north of Knowle locks, mooring around 7. Easy run into Brum tomorrow. Cheers Graham

....then the fun starts

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Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

We arrived at the top of Farmer's Bridge around 2.00 and met Laurie immediately!!
We are mooted in Oozle Street Loop. Laurie is mooted in front of us. We are facing in opposite directions!

Cheers Graham

I take that you both have different routes planned.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

Our routes are closely guarded secrets. In fact Laurie and I haven't even told ourselves. Laurie uses the 'wing it ' method, whereas we used an algorithm based on chaos theory.

Farmer's Bridge was crowded first thing so we went round Icknield Port, Soho and Oozlez Street loops. We met Laurie going the other way in Oozle Street Loop.

Then down Farmer's Bridge passing one boat under the tower block, we had to move sideways to make room. They asked us how we got there and Claire replied 'sticks and magic'. Combination of engine and poles really.

We went down Ashtead locks, into Typhoo basin and the down to Spagehtii junction. Up Perry bar locks and followed the Tame Valley canal to the Walsall canal. I more locks into the main line then into Dudley canal, through Netherton and mooted at about 9.40.

46 locks and a lot of miles.

Getting going shortly.

Cheers Graham

Through Gosrt Hill tunnel twice, we cleared it by about 6 inches. We met the tug Joanna towing two buttys. Later we caught them up at Factory Locks. We were on scedule for a 2 pm are arrival. But.... the lock gate on the second lock would not shut. They were a pair with the butty in lock 1 and the motor in lock 2. The tug and its buttys were waiting to go up. Richard Party was there!! He was going to the end of the challenge on the pair. The second local and the pound below it were drained to enable men in waders to sort it out. We were 1 hour 50 mins late at the end.

There was chaos at the Bradley workshops. We were in a queue of 10 boats all stopped or going slowly and all going aground regularly. Tawny Owl pulled us off at one point. No organisation and boats 4 deep in the winding hole. We finally turned after an aborted attempt in the basin entrance.

We had a fast run back to Brum down the new main line and arrived at 9.45.

Early start tomorrow.

Cheers Graham