Trent and Mersey Canal:Rugeley

The towpath has recently been strimmed and the canal is covered with grass cuttings.  All went well until Aston Lock. Just couldn't get the boat to move out.  The propeller was so heavily fouled.  The weed hatch produced handfuls of grass and even after cleaning progress was very slow as more was picked up, until we were out of the lock and into clear water.  Never would have imagined grass would do that, but I suppose the grass has been allowed to grow too long.   It was as we were approaching the lock that I ran a memory rewind realising that I had no recollection of returning the mooring piling hook that I used at kidsgrove.   Sure enough it was missing and I had left it.   Not the first time.  It just takes a bit of distraction.   I have to have a plan to stop this happening in future, always assuming that we can get a replacement.   They are getting hard to find as most chandleries only stock the wretched "safety pin" type.  Gt Hayward junction was mayhem as usual, but infact there was not a lot of traffic about.   Only two boats moored on the long stretch below the lock.   However, we had a long wait at Colwich Lock as the ground paddle is out of use and one has to treat the gate paddle with caution.   At Rugeley there was only one boat moored between bridges 67 and 66, so we stopped at 67 as being the most convenient for the Lion Street Launderette.  (Hours 8am to 8pm 7 days a week, but attended only between 10am and 2pm, so have those coins ready.  Incidentally the machines will not take the new £1 coins. The old ones will become illegal tender from October and are disappearing from change fast!

Comments

[Ross]

Not the first time we have just missed you, we mooring above the lock at Great Haywood at 1430 having come off the Staff & Worcs on our way to Boston.

[Mike]

That's a shame Ross. You must have passed us while we were at the laundrette then. Hope you have a good trip anyway. We are aiming for Fradley on Monday.