Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 19:55:18 +0100 From: Ann Harvey Reply-To: Canals To: Canals Subject: Whitsun Mini trip report [ The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set. ] [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ] [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ] Here's our version of the Whitsun bank holiday: May 27th 2001 Ken lent a hand to Tom with plumbing the new calorifier on Lost Diamonds, and after a quick shopping trip we went to the Old Bush at Swindon for a pint and a cob as usual. We then set off for Kinver, having bought a cooked chicken for tea. Expecting the visitor moorings to be full, and having asked someone coming up had this confirmed, we elected to moor just below Hyde lock for the night. It was a very pleasant spot, but a little further than we wanted to walk to the pub, so after phoning Dad to wish him a happy 80th birthday, we turned in early for the night. Sunday May 27th After a full breakfast we cruised on to Cookley. We winded just below the lock and moored up. We walked up the bank to the Bull^Òs Head, just too late for Sunday lunch (12 ^Ö 2). We would have stopped at Caunsell but there were a lot of boats moored up from Wolverhampton boat club ^Ö the commodore^Òs cruise I guess. After our lunchtime pint we had a sandwich and intending to catch a gentle few zzzzzzzs in keeping with the spirit of our gettaway and wind down cruise, when Andy cruised round the bend in nb Nutwood. He put in his order for a cup of tea and went on down the lock to wind, before coming up and mooring behind us for half an hour. He then went on an evening cruise back to Kinver, and it was such a lovely evening for it. We had dinner and then back up to the pub for an evening drink. Ken wished to be back before dark, as he was having an accident prone day. He began by hitting his head on the sliding hatch, and then knocked over his pint, trod in some doggy doo, knocked over my bottle of wine which had popped its cork in the fridge, and trod on my feet. It^Òs a good job he did knock over his pint I think, what would he have been like if he wasn^Òt sober? Monday May 28th We were just finishing our breakfast as all the WBCC boats cruised by on their way to Stourport, when our previous boat, came along. She is still owned by the family that bought her exactly 3 years ago, and they are still enjoying using her. She looks in good trim and well cared for, which pleased us very much. When there was a lull in the flotilla we set off back towards Cookley. By good chance we picked a gap in the line to negotiate Austcliffe, and we moored up at Kinver below the lock before many others arrived. It was another lovely hot day. We walked into the village and after buying a few groceries we decided to try the White Hart pub. Last year we had been the only people in almost, the beer was okay but pricey and we didn^Òt try the food. This time the place was packed and everyone was eating. That^Òs a good recommendation and finding the menu and prices good, we decided to eat too. The food was good and I opted for the Sunday lunch menu. A leisurely stroll back to the canal in the sunshine and sunbathing all afternoon occupied the remainder of the time till we decided to go back for another drink there for the evening. That^Òs when I couldn^Òt find my purse, with all our weekend money, credit cards etc. Panic set in and after searching the boat we set off up the road at a cracking pace back to the pub, as that^Òs the last place I definitely remembered having it. What were the chances? Did I want it not to be there? Would that mean it was actually on the boat all the time, or would it mean it was gone forever? Honesty is alive and well and drinks at the White Hart Kinver. An unknown person handed my purse in, and all was intact. As they were anonymous, I am unable to thank them, but I am profoundly grateful, and black and blue from kicking myself. We sat in the garden for a while but as it turned chilly we went inside for the last drink. Another early night and a peaceful one. Tuesday 29th May We decided that as there were at least 6 boats facing the same way as us this morning we^Òd make a sharpish start and stop later for breakfast. We were second away, but the preceding boat stopped for water at the top of the lock so we then headed the queue at Hyde. We continued to Stourton junction and stopped there for a short while for breakfast. We were quite keen to get back in good time to see if the suggested amendments to Tom^Òs plumbing had done the trick. They had, in part, but there was still a problem. Tom, Ken and later our naval son-in-law all got their heads down the ^Ñole. A part was required. Tom would try tomorrow to get it. If he was unable to, then Ken would have to try and get this screw/plug fitting made for him. We hauled them off to the pub before Tom scuppered the boat, as he had been on this (simple) job for a week now. ---