BBC Radio Stoke "Children in Need" Challenge - 50 ways in 50 days.

Monday 15th October 2018 at Aston Marina.
BBC Radio Stoke, the local radio station, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
For this year's BBC Children in Need appeal, they are challenging their radio presenters to complete "50 ways in 50 days". Starting on Friday 28 September 2018, the challenge is that together they have to use 50 different methods of forward motion to get around Staffordshire and Cheshire in 50 days.
The presenters won't know when they'll be challenged or what they'll have to do, but when the warning sound goes off they'll be given a task which they will have just 24 hours to complete.
Today, the presenter Perry Spiller was given the challenge to "move forward" on a narrowboat.
Nick, Aston's Marina Manager, had asked ourselves on MM and our friends Mel and Peter on nb "Inkling" to take Perry and his Producer, Natalie, for a short trip this afternoon.
In preparation, we moved MM from her regular berth to the visitors' mooring next to the main building.

While we waited, R had an extended conversation with the cob of the pair of swans that have been rearing a family of cygnets in the marina. The cob seemed to think that food would have been much better than conversation.

We were soon joined by Mel and Peter on Inkling.

We actually had very little idea of what was going to happen, other than the fact that Mel and Peter would take the lead and we would act as back-up in case of any problems. M had fondly imagined a civic reception of local dignitaries being welcomed in the marina's smart Boat House (you know - with a fanfare of trumpets etc.). Not so! 
First, Nick arrived, with his usual cheerful greeting.

Then, Perry Spiller and Natalie, his Producer, walked down from the car park. She was carrying a very small recorder and a large microphone. No trumpets!

After Perry and Natalie worked out how to switch on the recorder, there were introductions and a brief chat about the four of us, the boats and Aston Marina. Aston's restaurant, No.26, provided very welcome hot chocolate for us all in their special re-usable No.26 cups.

Perry had spent four years living on a narrowboat several years ago, but he was still nervous about steering Inkling, which is 69ft long. Soon, they "let go" and moved away from the pontoon.

As Inkling is very long, they had some trouble turning to go up the centre of the marina and, as we let go on MM, we turned inside them and then waited for them to pass us - with Perry steering.

At the marina exit, we both turned on to the canal and headed north towards the marina entrance.

Perry needed a couple of attempts to turn Inkling into the entrance (you can see lock no.26, after which Aston's restaurant is named, in the background) but, all things considered, he did very well to handle such a long boat in a confined space in the rain.

 

Finally, Perry brought Inkling on to the pontoon. The trip was very short but he had successfully achieved "forward motion" on a narrowboat to complete today's challenge.

Perry told us that, so far, this was his third challenge; the other two were a mobility scooter and cherry picker (although that is more up and down than forward!).
Anyway, he and Natalie looked happy to be back and Peter looked happy that Inkling was still in one piece!

We listened in to his programme, broadcast on Tuesday morning from 10:00am to 1:00pm, and recorded the report (about six minutes long) of his challenge and his trip on Inkling. He seems to have enjoyed himself.
In the next couple of days, we will drive home. We will be back up to see MM in a couple of weeks on our way up north - but for now that is the end of a most spectacular summer cruise. We hope that you have enjoyed reading about it - we are already looking forward to 2019 and possibly Lincoln and Boston? 
Today MM went much less than a mile and no locks!