The Bottom was too close to the Top - Again!

 Thursday 18th August 2022 at Acton Trussell.

Today, we were anticipating a visit from our neighbours Mel and Kyron, who were driving all the way up from Reigate to spend the day with us. They duly arrived in Penkridge, parked their car at the Littleton Hotel and walked up to the canal. After tea and a quick tour of MM, we set off through the first lock at Penkridge.

They both were very quick to understand how a lock works and the things to watch out for.

Soon they were pitching in and helping with the paddles and gates, although some were easier than others, as ever! The tough ones always give rise to a lot of laughter!

In between locks they relaxed as we cruised along and chatted. Life at three miles an hour certainly seemed to appeal.

By the time we reached the last of the four locks that we planned to do today, before we turned to go back to Penkridge, they were just about doing them on their own.

Even if occasionally they looked a bit unsure of what to do next, they managed very well indeed!

The plan, after the fourth lock, was to turn around and then head back to Penkridge to get them back to their car and the hotel where they had booked for the night.

Winding went well, although it was clear that the canal was very shallow and the water level was down. MM frequently was scraping the bottom.

The best laid plans and all that ...! Setting off to the south again, we only got a few hundred yards before MM ran firmly aground in the middle of the canal. Another boat came up behind us and we thought that he might be able to give us a tow - right up to the point that he ran aground as well next to us. Both boats were stuck right in the middle of the Cut.

R managed to back MM off the shallows and eventually got MM close enough to the side so that M, Mel and Kyron could get off. They walked back to the previous lock with the intention of letting some water down. Meanwhile, after half an hour of struggling, the boat that got stuck beside us managed to get through.

Up at the lock, M reported that a C&RT employee had appeared and was working hard to send more water down - but this is a long pound and it made little, if any, difference.

R tried three times to get across the shallow part without success and he watched three more boats fighting to get through. They all had shallower draft than MM but even they had to work hard to make it using their engine and long poles. It was clear that M, with Mel and Kyron, couldn't do a great deal more up at the lock and, leaving the C&RT chap in charge, they set off walking back to MM

Eventually, we decided to give up the struggle. R turned MM around again (very carefully) and we limped further north until we found a mooring, where we finally had a very delayed lunch, or was it dinner? Prosecco to celebrate Mel and Kyron's recent wedding!

As we were now a few miles from Penkridge, we had to order a taxi to pick Mel and Kyron up from nearby Acton Trussell. R walked them back to the next bridge, where the taxi picked them up very soon after.

Tomorrow, M has to go home to help with baby sitting and Mel and Kyron have very kindly said that they will pick her up and drive her back with them. R will stay on MM and M will come back Sunday to nearby Stafford. So, we should be back posting on Monday.

ps. When writing up our log in the Nicholson's Guide, R noticed that we passed here on our first hire boat "Emma" in April 2010 and there was an asterisk on the exact spot that we ran aground today - and the note said "Aground!". Nothing changes in 12 years!

Today: 4 miles, 4 locks and 3.4 hours.

Trip: 376 miles, 234 locks and 207.2 hours.