Narrowboat -- Tues., 8/24

Pictures -- At top, family of swans. We saw many swans along the way. Typically two adults had from two to five "babies" who are about as big as the parents, but still brownish.

Signpost as we left the River Trent and entered the Canal.
The first lock (Derwent Mouth Lock); was broadbeam so could take cruisers or two narrowboats.

Woke up at 5 and couldn’t seem to go back to sleep so got up at 7, dressed, and went out for a 20-minute walk on the towpath. The day was bright and generally pleasant – but very windy. So windy that Mike, an expert boatman, had trouble getting away from the mooring.

After a full English breakfast (yes, my arteries are clogging, but it’s SO good) we began our journey at 9:45 a.m. on the River Trent. We continued on that for a short while until we reached the Trent & Mersey Canal. The first lock was the Derwent Mouth Lock, not a particularly huge one, but of course I took many pictures. During the day we went through seven locks, of which the deepest was Stinson Lock with a change of 12 feet, 4 inches (we’re going up so the water poured in on us – like being at the foot of a waterfall). The first six locks were double beam – wide enough for two narrowboats to go through at the same time. The last one, entering Burton Upon Trent, was the first single one. I’m learning a bit about how locks operate and the proper terminology.

A wonderful surprise of the day was that we were on several short aqueducts, including one over the small River Dove. Being on a canal boat and looking down at a river we were crossing some 20 feet or so below us was something I wanted to do but didn’t think was on any of the canals on this trip. So I was thrilled.

The weather was iffy all day. Sunshine, cloudiness, sprinkles, heavy rain – all occurring and reoccurring in no particular pattern – except that it often seemed to rain just as the crew had to get off the boat to deal with locks. The pace of travel is slow; at somewhere between 2 and 4 miles an hour, relaxation is enforced. We have elevenses and afternoon tea while on the move then stop and moor for lunch and dinner. All quite civilized. Food has been very good. I’m going to have to work at not eating. I will also need to get off and walk the towpath at the boat’s pace in order to get a bit of exercise but was fearful that if I did so today the rain would begin. At Burton Upon Trent we moored for dinner and the evening at 6:15 p.m. I took a 30 minute walk into town and along the towpath returning in time for the 7:30 dinner featuring salmon. Sat around the table eating and talking until after 9:30 when I returned to my room to write this and deal with the pictures I’ve taken during the last few days. Am trying to keep up – even if I can’t post to a blog for a while.