Crew - Graham, Brenda and Simon.

We turned under the bridge, past the Anglo Welsh hirebase and onto the Staffs and Worcester canal and started exploring a section of the system we have never travelled on before. It was hoped we could moor in Tixall wide but as it was after 2pm there was not a spare 60ft mooring available. We passed nb Waterways Routes as we continued on to the next lock and Paul hailed us and asked if we were "the blogging Jannocks"? How rude! Nice to finally meet up if only briefly due to the impending storm.

We decided to moor for the night just past Tixall bridge. As we approached the bridge the heavens opened. We continued on passing two walkers sheltering from the heavy rain under the bridge. I noticed the train tracks veering towards the canal after Tixall bridge and so went into reverse in order to moor back where the nice piling was just prior to the bridgehole. We passed the two walkers again, this time in reverse, their backs bent to the curve of the bridge arch slowly developing goose pimples as the temperature plummeted, so we felt that the only decent thing to do was to invite them aboard for a cup of tea lest dowagers hump and frostbite set in once we had tied up. The heavy storm lasted as long as it takes to brew and drink a cup of tea whilst setting the world to rights. They departed once the rain stopped and so we then had dinner followed by the wonderful strawberries that Brenda had purchased from the farm shop. They were the best tasting ones we have had, including those from our own garden, for years. After dinner we decided to continue on and moor opposite Stafford Boat Club as it was further away from the railway.

At about 8:50 pm we passed a fisherman who gave us a "look" and pointedly looked at his watch. He got no reaction from us so he started tapping it. We looked puzzled so he explained that it was after 8 o'clock. We said we knew that so he explained that we were not allowed to be boating after 8 o'clock. We pointed out that the sun was still out, visibility was 100% and our licence says nothing about day shifts only. He remained un-convinced so if you wish to boat after 8pm - get a late licence.

Crew - Graham, Brenda & Simon.

I was up at 5:45 to do the early morning car shuffle. The track from the towpath up onto the A34 at Stafford Boat Club was seriously muddy after last nights rain and so great fun was had slipping and sliding up to the road. On my return, the off-road section was down hill which made it even worse that the earlier passage due to the tendency of the wheels to lock when I applied the brakes. Just after my return to the boat , with the Di Blasi safely stowed away, the heavens opened for another short deluge.

As we were preparing to set off, an Anglo Welsh boat with a Norwegian crew aboard passed us heading the same way. We had exchanged greetings with them last night just after our encounter with the gobby fisherman. At the next lock we caught up with them and I enquired about whether they were pleased with their boat. They were but had a problem with the boiler which would not stay alight to heat the water. It was an Alde Comfort, like Jannock's, so I had a look. It lit OK with a nice clean blue flame but would go out after about a minute. I suggested that the thermocouple was shot and told them to ring Anglo Welsh to get a service engineer to fit a new one. We caught up with them at every lock until Penkridge where they stopped just past the water point to meet the engineer. Later when we were moored up they passed us again and proclaimed the new thermocouple a success.

We had been told that Acton Trussel was a particularly pretty village, so Brenda and I jumped ship to admire it whilst Simon cruised slowly on. We walked along the street parallel with the cut and can only say that the good folks of A.T. keep a lovely garden. Either we missed the village proper or it's just a dormitory full of gardeners!
After lunch we took Simon back to his car at Aston and then had to return to Jannock to resolve three little problems:-
1. We'd left all the frozen food in the freezer section of the fridge that we had switched off. Doh!
2. We had forgotten to remove the rubbish bag from the kitchen bin. Doh!
3. Remote interrogation showed that the alarm was not operating correctly and so needed re-setting. OK, that one's worth it.
It's amazing what happens when normal routine is amended to cater for additional crew.

Crew - Graham & Brenda.

On Friday night we drove through the storms, the raging thunder and piercing lightning to find that only one little ball of fluff was braving the waves to welcome us. There had been two of them last week. Sadly, just one left but it has gone from the size of a golf ball to a tennis sized ball of fluff.

Today has been mostly spent getting Jannock ready for the holiday season. Matt will be borrowing her for the first week in August and then we'll be taking a fortnight immediately afterwards. The biggest problem with lending her to Matt is that we have to clear out all of our accumulated rubbish to make room for his crew to store their stuff in. We set off from Penkridge at 9:15 and headed south. The sky was overcast but it didn't rain all day. Through five locks got us past Coven, where Brenda fancied joining the aptly named 'Coven Boat Club' , and onto the summit at Gailey. Then on through the narrows to Autherly junction.

I wanted to do a pumpout and fill with diesel so we went down to Oxley marine. I called across to ascertain that they were open and a bloke there suggested we wind at the bottom of the Wolverhampton flight so that the pumpout connector was on the right side. Having winded we returned and Orph did a pumpout before he pointed out that he could not fill our diesel tank as we were facing in the wrong direction. So we went up to Autherley junction and winded there to return pointing south again. 135 litres of diesel later I paid the bill and we set off to turn at the Wolverhampton end again.
We passed through the stop lock onto the Shroppie and headed North. Once we were tied up near Brewood I fetched the car and we filled it with crates of tinned food and other stuff that would not be needed by the Matt cruise. We then headed home and met our first rainstorm of the day.

Crew - Graham and Brenda.

We set off North and winded at Brewood wharf. Then back down the Shroppie to Autherly junction where Brenda executed a nice tight turn onto the Northbound Staffs and Worcester again. An uneventful day, unless you consider that it didn't rain. Something of an event this week - however it still wasn't much to write home about. Certainly not as photogenic as last weekend when I snapped a heron on the finger post sign at Autherly junction, all azure sky and white fluffy clouds. The Beeb were asking for weather photos so I sent it in on Monday. On Wednesday lunchtime news my photo was broadcast to introduce the met-report. Was I proud? Heck no! I was at work and didn't see it. Bah! We only learnt about it when Graham received a text message from Yorkshire.
Mid afternoon we met two pirate boats heading South. The crews were all thigh booted, tri-corn hatted, jolly rogered and be-wigged. It began to look like Panto season! Oh no it didn't! (ed)

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Crew - Graham and Brenda

Down to Stourton junction where we turned right onto a section of canal that neither Brenda or myself have ever travelled on before. We moored for the night at Hinksford bridge, only after I had reversed across the canal to harvest ripe plums from an overhanging tree before tying up. We are dining aboard Harnser tonight before going to try out the Old Bush up the road.

Crew - Graham and Brenda.

A long day today. I got up and refilled Harnsers water tank from ours using our water hose and the galley tap. We set off at 9 am and it started raining before we reached the first (Hinksford) lock. As we approached Swindon lock I asked a passing dog walker for directions to the Post Office and then went and posted my dads birthday present which Brenda had pre-wrapped and stamped but would not fit through the common-or-garden post box slot. As we approached Wombourne we met the "Blue Moonies" (fellow BCN explorers) heading South after a night out with Gerry and Murial (nb Moonstone) at Compton.

At the Bratch, Harnser got through but we had to wait for three southbound boats to pass before we were allowed to ascend. I have looked at a painting of these locks, on our chimney breast at home, for more than 10 years but this is the first time I have been here. We caught up Harnser, taking tea and cake aboard Moonstone, at Compton. We continued on to Cross Green where we moored alongside a golf driving range and had another curry evening on Jannock. It would seem that some of their golfers need more lessons. You'd need a good physics degree to work out the parabola and angles achieved such that golf balls bounced off our roof.

Crew - Graham and Brenda.

An early start under an undecided sky. By 09:00 the heavens had decided and it became monsoon season. Each drenching was interspersed with glorious sunshine . Graham decided to take his shower between Shutt Hill lock and Deptmoor lock so that he'd arrive at the GiG all fragrant. Instead he took a bath! He saw a fat and fruity scone floating in the canal by the lock gate and to show his devotion to me thought to fish it out of the water as he knows I enjoy a nice scone. That was fine until he slid on rain soaked green goo and ended up in the canal. I had just untied Jannock and so ran away from him - rubbish wife I turned out to be! I retied the boat and went to his aid. Luckily Diana was already there and was wise - she dropped the paddle to stop G. being sucked in. She and I then helped haul G. out just as Brian arrived to assist. He was hauled out safe and well . Thank you so much to the crew of Harnser. That whole episode was bad enough but he was absolutely gutted to find that he'd lost his 'goggle-eye' glasses off of his hat. We looked in and beyond the lock to no avail. All that could be found floating in the vicinity was the scone that started the whole episode. We arrived at Stafford Boat Club mid afternoon and moored bankside ready for nb Justice to come alongside when it arrives.

During my accidental immersion yesterday the only real casualty were my beloved Googly Eye glasses that normally adorn my hat. I found them floating in a lock on the Deepcut flight (Basingstoke Canal) on 17th April 2006. They always caused a bystander to smile and generally started a conversation by people who admired them. I was once accused of being blind by a group of women who I met on the Northchurch locks who then had to retract the statement when I found and returned their BW key they had left in an anti-vandal lock. They have even been worn by esteemed visitors to these shores ( aka George Pearson of Canals List fame - see picture below ) as well as appearing in the photographs of many bystanders who took pictures of Jannock working through locks. Alas they were lost in Shutt Hill lock on Friday 21st August 2009 when I took my sudden and un-expected submersion above the top gate. What puzzles me is that I found them 'floating' in a lock but there was no evidence at all of them floating at Shutt Hill after my swim :^(
The end of an Era.

The 2009 GiG was held at Stafford Boat Club who were wonderful hosts. They provided the superb venue, did not run out of decent ale all weekend, supplied copious amounts of Sunday breakfast under extreme conditions, supplied a good selection of home cooked cakes etc, for us to buy and even allowed us to fill our boats with diesel at a very competetive price. The GiG is open to any boaters who use any of the internet forums and it generally moves around the country depending on where the IWA National Festival is located. The original arrangements for 2009 fell through and so Stafford saved the day at the eleventh hour. Luckily it was still within 5 days cruising for those boaters that wished to attend the national as well. Saturday evening entertainment was provided by Benny Graham who also camped upon the sofa-bed in Jannock's lounge. It was great to catch up with old friends and meet some new friends too.

Crew - Graham, Brenda & Simon.

We collected Jannock from Stafford Boat Club in fairly good August Bank Holiday weather – a little sun and a cold wind, but dry. We experienced no problems up to Great Haywood, through plenty of free moorings in Tixhall wide (just when we don't need one), and turned right onto the Trent & Mersey.

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