We were woken 0445 by a boat going past in our direction! How dare anyone beat us to the locks! We caught up with it filling up with water at Autherley Junction - wasn't going up the locks anyway!.
There was a heron stood on the signpost at the junction. We have seen it (or one very like it) there before. David took lots of photos.
Most of the locks on the Wolverhampton flight were for us. We past a Viking hire boat after the 2nd lock there was no sign of life when I walked past, but they were raring to go and were out at the lock before we had got through. Fortunately they had a large crew, so they closed the lock gates behind us.
The canteen wagon at Lock 10 had gone. No more bacon butties to fortify one for the rest of the flight. Hope they are just on holiday and not moved off to a more profitable spot.
The lock keeper opened some more locks on the way up and then that lovely lady who lives in a boat at the top (and fosters dogs and cats, though I don't know her name) set three more locks for us. We did them all in 2 1/4 hours.
While filling one of the locks we did it too fast. The boat shot to the back of the lock, hit the back gates and then shot forward and hit the top one. It opened the gate slightly and water shot in. The gate then closed with the pressure of the water and a tidal wave swept over the bow of the boat. Fortunately the front doors were closed, so only a jumper got wet.
On through to Factory Locks and we came across lots of children in canoes. There is a sign on the bridge about a canoe club, but this is the first time we have actually seen any.
We had to nurse the boat back here as the engine was overheating a lot. I ended up feeding the bottle thingy with ice cubes to try and keep the temperature down!
Still it is good to be back and see everyone again. One more boat has left us, Temaraire, so the basin is looking very sparse.
A little yellow lamb with a garland of pink flowers. I mounted it onto green card with a gold frame, yellow, green and floral paper, with two photo corners. The white card was half covered with patterned paper and a patterned ribbon stuck down over the join.
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