Clever Superman

Jan met Superman today but wasn’t all that impressed (more on that later).

As I expected, yesterday’s rain caused the wet handrail paint to ‘bloom’.  It will have to be rubbed back and done again; but not before we buy some more red paint.  In the meantime I’ve removed the masking tape.  If I leave it on too long the damned stuff doesn’t come off!

We pulled the ropes through the rings just after 9am  before heading up the last eight locks of the Curdworth Flight.  The first lock was in our favour.

The flight is very rural and peaceful

But for how much longer?

The second lock was also in our favour…… but that didn’t stop the boater coming down turn it against us.  Jan was understandably rather annoyed but if the other crew are in such a hurry then I’m not fussed. 

Then as we were approaching our third lock a boater appeared at the lock and turned it against us.  I loitered below the boat whilst the other crew filled and emptied the lock.  Superman (the man who had appeared at the lock and turned it) told Jan he had left the bottom gate open at the lock behind him.  Now that lock is around a bend with no ’line of sight’.  Being Superman and having x-ray vision must make boating rather easy.

We stopped at the water point just before the top lock to fill the tank.  Jan had already started the washing machine in anticipation. The only mooring ring is on the opposite side of the towpath. Fortunately the path doesn’t appear to be heavily utilized.  There is a road transport yard beside the water point but the arch footbridge over what appears to be a former arm suggests there was once a canal depot here.

Immediately afterwards we passed under the busy M6 Toll road.  I hate paying tolls so I don’t believe we’ve ever driven over the canal at this location.

Passing through Curdworth Tunnel proved to be slightly exciting.  The water was a thick leaf soup which made propulsion and steering rather difficult.  The tunnel appeared to have a kink at the far end which I didn’t remember from our previous cruise.  It wasn’t until we were exiting the tunnel portal.

The portal arch has a bulge.

 

We called it a day at the moorings before Wiggins Hill Bridge.  There is a motor hotel beside the mooring but it doesn’t appear to be a noisy location. 

In the afternoon I walked down the towpath to reach the huge Asda superstore for a few essentials.

 

Map from Waterway Routes

Tomorrow we will probably continue on to Spaghetti Junction (Salford Junction) and reverse down the Grand Union to the secure moorings outside Star City.