A messy sort of day and we lose our perspex side window for the second time. Pat needing to replenish our stores and it being bank holiday and Tesco at Rugeley not open till 9:00 am we delayed departure as Rugeley was only an hour away. Expecting the moorings at Rugeley to be full we were surprised to find them empty apart from one boat, whose skipper was pacing anxiously waiting for first mate to return from shopping. So shopping done we tried to depart but had to hold back for a couple of passing boats which appeared to be rather slower than we would like once we fell in line. We were then joined in turn by an even faster boat behind. Our spacing which was good at first soon bunched up with obstacles such as moored boats and of course the Armitage Tunnel. There also seemed an endless line of opposite direction boats. After the "tunnel" there are several sections of canal which are very windy and narrow and it was here, bunched up between the two boats in front and opposite boats that some offside bushes go behind the side doors and smashed one closed against the perspex shattering it. We were beginning to imagine the huge queue that must have built up at Fradley when the boat in front moored up, saying that they had had enough. They too thought little point in going on, however we persisted. Almost immediately the other boat in front decided likewise. So we had an unencumbered run to Wood End Lock where we had no wait at all. We imagined, therefore, that the next two locks would have no delay since Wood End would act as a sort of gatekeeper. Wrong. Shade House Lock either has a slow fill, or the volunteer lock keeper was being excessively cautious, so the turn round was slow and we were third in line. Not much further on, the canal planner had us mooring at Kings Orchard Bridge, near the new marina just beyond Streethay Wharf. Another cold grey day, though no rain, so mustn't grumble.
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