A Luxurious Lightship, Clean Fuel and a Pilot's Surprise

Monday 16th July 2018 at Slimbridge.
M made a quick dash to the shops in Gloucester for a "few bits" while R passed the time in Costa. As we walked to the centre and back, we saw some lovely pavement mosaics, starting with the street called "Oxbode" and the story of the stuck bull.

"The lane was so narrow and his back was so wide that the ox was stuck fast until the butcher arrived." Poor ox - no escape!
The second one was outside the "New Inn."

"In 1450 for pilgrims arriving in Gloucester St.Peter's Abbey opened the New Inn."
Which is still there:

Further down the street was the Apothecary at the Old Bell Inn.

"The Old Bell Inn was built for Thomas Yate, Alderman Apothecary in the 17th Century."
Then came Bell Walk.

"Bell Walk took its name from William Henshaw's Bell Foundry which opened in the 16th Century."
We were looking forward to spending more time in Gloucester exploring the town and visiting the cathedral but we had an appointment to have MM's fuel "polished" down at Saul Junction on the Gloucester & Sharpness canal, so we set off south through the lift bridge on the exit to Gloucester Basin. The bridge keeper raised the bridge especially for us.

Next to the bridge is the National Waterways Museum and outside it is moored the "Queen Boadicea II", one of the famous and historic "Dunkirk Little Ships".

We passed the lightship Sula, which is for sale. Yours for just £395,000, very nicely fitted out inside. For some lovely photos to tempt you, look at https://www.naylorpowell.com/property-details/25759105/gloucestershire/gloucester-docks/llanthony-road

From the outside it looks quite shabby, but the inside is a revelation!At Saul Junction, we turned into the marina, which is on a small arm that used to be the start of the Stroudwater Canal. There is restoration work going on so, one day, we might be able to go back along it through some beautiful countryside.
Soon after we arrived, Peter the Fuel Polisher came over with his "contraption". The idea is to suck all the fuel out of the tank, put it through a water separator and a very fine filter and then blow it back into the tank under pressure to stir up any muck that may be in the bottom of the tank. That way both the fuel and the tank get cleaned and no fuel is lost. MM's fuel proved to be very clean anyway and no sign of water.

Back on the main canal, we moored up for some lunch and for R to call the Gloucester Pilots. A few days ago, they had told us that it was unlikely we would be able to go down the Estuary this week, but to call today to check.

To our surprise, the Pilots said that all looked good for Wednesday on the midday tide. So, instead of sailing back to Gloucester we continued south intending to visit the WWT Slimbridge bird reserve tomorrow.
This really is a lovely waterway; very wide, deep and tree-lined throughout its length. Occasionally, the estuary comes quite close alongside.

We moored for the evening at Patch Bridge where the road to Slimbridge crosses the canal.
As the sun set, R was busy checking everything for the trip on Wednesday, including our new life ring, purchased this afternoon and a requirement for the Severn Estuary.

Today: 12 miles, 0 locks and 6.0 hours (including power in Gloucester).
Trip: 126 miles, 61 locks and 65.5 hours.