Firstly, thank you to everybody who contacted us offering a lift to pick up our car.

On Wednesday we travelled to Slimbridge to meet up with Ray & Caz on their boat Rose.

We have not seen them for over a year, and hearing that they were near, was too good an opportunity to meet up again.

On Thursday we took the boat back to Saul Junction Marina, where we have a new mooring. No 86.
Not far from our old mooring.

We stayed on the boat Thursday night, and met up with the friends we have made in the marina.

Today we drove home.

Turning into the Stroudwater canal at Saul Junction

 

 

Entering Saul Junction Marina

 

Our new mooring

 

 

Sadly, this is it, the end of our trip.  We have had a great time, met some great people, seen some great places.

 

 

Can we thank everybody who has followed our blog throughout our travels. We have had 3,691 views. We hope you have found it interesting, as we have enjoyed writing it.

 

 

Sorry, but here endeth the blog

 

(until next time)





 

We had a great evening with Richard & Sally last night, eating in the Vinings restaurant.

This morning we said our goodbyes and set off around 10.30am.

We needed a pump-out at the Llantony wharf, continuing to Sainsbury's to stock up.

We then travelled the 8 miles to Saul, where we are currently moored approx 500 yards up from the footbridge.

After 5-1/2 months of travelling, it is a very funny feeling being back.

We will be spending the next few days meeting friends on the canal before going into the marina, then home.

Speaking of which?   Our car is currently in Quedgeley. If any friendly follower of this blog is free tomorrow morning, we could really do with a lift to pick it up, including 4 months of mail.

If you can help call Wendy on 07976444938 or Peter 07900186705

Thank you

We rang Upper Lode lock early this morning, and were informed that the Severn had gone down by nearly 2 foot overnight. However it was still too high to travel.

We were told to ring back at midday.

We rang back at 12.00. The river had dropped, but was 1.7 metres above normal. If we wished to proceed, they would open both Upper Lode lock and Gloucester lock, if we sign an indemnity form.

Basically this means we are not insured, but can travel.

Richard needed to get back, because he runs his own business, we had radio contact between boats, so we decided to go for it. Worst case scenario, if one of us broke down, we could come alongside and tie the two boats together and use one engine to power both boats.

However all went fine. A bit nervy for both of us, but we are now moored in Gloucester Docks

 

Gloucester Lock

 

 



 

Yesterday at 10.15am We were given the all clear, and set off through the Stourport basin, joining the Severn shortly after.

We had pre booked moorings at Upton on Severn, as we heard that Upper Lode lock near Tewkesbury was still in red, due to the River Avon still being in flood condition.

Our trip down the Severn, was probably the best we have ever experienced, warm and sunny all the way, despite a high current.

We arrived at Upton Marina at 3.40pm.

We have rung Upper Lode lock this morning, and we have been informed that the river level is currently 2 foot above the closure level.

Tomorrow we have rain forecast, so unless we manage to find a 4 hour window to travel back to Gloucester today, we could be stranded at Upton for a few days.

Will keep you informed

The River Severn is still in flood, although 2 boats did come up from Worcester yesterday, and they told us that in Worcester the river was in amber.

We are not planning on moving until tomorrow, so hopefully today the condition here may change.

Yesterday proved a very eventful day for us. We were hoping to have a lazy day, but all that changed around midday.

We decided to go for a pub lunch, so we left the boat and started to walk the short distance in to the town.

We noticed hundreds of fish all close to the surface near the lock, with a small crowd forming, to see what was happening.

The local tea room manager (Len) Told us that is was due to pollution, and that the fish were trying to get air. He also told us that this was the third time this year it had happened.

He explained that if you fill the lock and open the gates, then open the other lock paddles to create a current, the fish will enter the lock, which you could then drain and open, to let the fish in the basin below.

He told us he had contacted the Environment Agency

So with windlasses at the ready, we did as we were instructed, and sure enough, the lock was soon full of fish.

After letting them through to the basin, an onlooker confirmed that they had recovered very quickly. So we went through the process again. Filling the lock, open the gates, create a flow, shut the gates, drain the lock, open the gates.

We repeated this 6 times, before the Environment Agency arrived. However there were still hundreds of fish gasping for air.

The EA tested the water, and it contained 0.05% oxygen (fish need 40%)

After British Waterways and the EA finally agreed a solution (3 hours later, and now many dead fish) Aeroators were brought in

We started our engine and put it in gear also creating air into the system.

The EA worked throughout the night, and this morning, the situation has stabilised. Now they have to find the cause.

We are also featured in the Canal & River Trust web site. We were photographed going through a bridge on Wednesday near Kidderminster, and it is now in a feature. Follow the link below to see.
http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/bridge-restoration-on-the-staffordshire-and-worcestershire-canal

This afternoon our friends Richard and Sally will be coming to Stourport to pick up there boat which has been moored throughout the flood. And, hopefully the four of us will start our journey back to Gloucester tomorrow morning.

We left Wolverley yesterday morning and travelled 5-1/2 miles + 5 locks to Stourport on Severn.

We had glorious sunshine all the way, which was the perfect ending for our canal travels.

We only have a short section of the Staffs & Worcs through Stourport Basin, before joining the Severn.

 

Kidderminster Church

 

We have checked the Severn and it is in flood at the moment. We are on a 5 day mooring so will remain here until possibly Saturday.

Last night we visited my nephew Scott & Lex, who live in Stourport. We had a lovely meal and a long catch up. Thank you to you both. A great night.



Last night we walked into Kinver and had a meal in the White Hart. Pete had an all day breakfast costing £3.45. Exceptional value, and a really good helping

This morning we walked back into Kinver to do some shopping in bright sunshine.

We set sail at 11.10am, travelled 4.25 miles, including 2 locks and a tunnel. This is when we stopped at Woverley because of heavy rain.

The trip was very pleasant especially through the short sandstone clad area near Caunsall see below

 

 

At Debdale lock, the lock is built within the sandstone, with a cave, which used to be used as a storehouse.

 

Leaving the lock you can see the pickup point which is a great feature of this canal.

We have been included in Sue & Vics blog so we will give you the link if you wish to follow theirs
http://noproblem.org.uk/blog/feed/

Tomorrow we will be in Stourport.  With this continuous rain we may once again have problems with the Severn in flood. Still, we will only need 2 days to reach Gloucester. We will get there sometime (hopefully)

 

 

 



Last night we visited the Navigation Inn at Greenforge. Only to meet Scraggy from Saul Jnction. Was good to meet somebody we knew and catch up on canal gossip.

This morning we left around 10.00am. We travelled for 3 hours 45 mins to Kinver, including 5 locks, one tunnel, and an aqueduct, stopping for a while to top up with water and pump out the toilet.

We met Sue & Vic at the water point, they are continuous cruisers, and have been on the canal network cruising for 10 years.

The Staffs & Worcs canal is a delight to travel. Great scenery and some challenging bends. The locks are well maintained and mooring is freely available.

At one lock we noticed the gates to the house were miniature lock gates (see below)

 

 

Autumn is now upon us, but the changing colours of the trees, especially in the sun is very dramatic.

We should arrive in Stourport on Wednesday. The River Severn has gone down to Amber Alert, which means passage is safe with care. Although we have heard of lots of debris being washed down.

Last night after seeing a friendly face from the canal has made us homesick for the first time.

We have met some great people on our travels, especially Pete & Lynn on Blue on Blue, Jean & Mark on Ardanza.

We should be back in Gloucester this weekend if all goes well.