June 12th moored in Stourport basin at the end of the Staffs & Worcs Canal
(waiting for river level to drop)
         103 miles, 66 locks and 4 tunnels from Dunham Massey

NOTE I have changed order of entries today so that they read in chronological reverse order.  I am not always able to find time (or phone signal on dongle) to post new entries  daily so aim to do so every few days when the chance arises.

Tuesday 12th June

A better day today, not raining, with river dropped over a foot during the night. First thing this morning it was only just on the red and falling. Boats being allowed onto the river under caution. Assisted with locks
and took photo's as the dutch barge 'De Jange Cornelis' headed out onto the river

and watched the Canal Time narrow boat go out with a 'pilot' at the helm, by which time the river had fallen to Amber on the board.  The crew of 'Combs Lass' from Banbury went down to Worcester on the dutch barge and intend returning by bus to go down tomorrow, by which time we hope to be in the green.  I got the anchor out, checked in weed hatch, dipped fuel tank and topped up with water, while Bridie made use of the 240v landline with another wash load and downloading photo's etc. otherwise we are having a lazy day in Stourport with a bit of shopping and a pint at the Angel.

Monday 11th June

Wet overnight and a grey, dismal and wet day today, short brighter period at lunch time but soon started
raining again. This morning the level on entry to wide lock still showed as 9.6 although BW guy reckons it is still rising.

Late afternoon still same level. Have electric point at stern of boat but can't get it to
accept a card so joined both my mains cables together and managed to reach meter beyond dutch barge so we now have mains power.  Bridie had washing machine going this morning and used vacuum and I have been on the computer and managed to check mail and finances etc but my 3 signal keeps dropping off so haven't attempted to update this blog yet.
Moored close to Severnside .....

which I have found to feature in my family history.  My great great great grandfather James Landon was a boat builder and lived here in 1841 with his children including David (who was then 11) my great great grandfather (on my fathers mothers side of the family) who was to marry and have a daughter Emma Landon (my great grandmother).

Sunday 10th June

Sunny start to the day and first priority was another trip to B&Q to get another set of pipe connectors.  This
time I managed to speak to someone who knew what he was talking about (not easy in B&Q) and bought 2 new 1/2" to compression connectors (different to and cheaper than the ones I bought yesterday) and these worked - after a bit more blue language as nothing is ever that straight forward!  Now we have a functioning tap again - hurrah- can finish off a wash cycle on the washing machine we had interupted, we can wash up last nights dirty pots, and joy of joys, can even have  a shower!  So much for our dirty weekend in Kidderminster.  Set off about midday for Stourport with small delay at Falling Sands Viaduct on the SVR to take pictures of the 13:00 ex Kidderminster (a Western diesel) and the 13:13 ex Bewdley (a GWR prairie).

The weather stayed fine although the clouds looked very threatening at times and when we arrived at the basin we used the services and then moved onto one of the only available moorings.  It was rather a tight fit and a Canal Time boat moved back a little to let us in, as I reversed up to the bows of a dutch barge 'De Jange Cornelis' (built 1892 in Holland).

Once moored and fed (late lunch again) we walked Mabel up the Severn towpath past the site of the Stourport Motor Yacht and Bungalow Association (SMY & BA).  Here there are the final moorings on the navigable Severn and just beyond was the board advising sailors to 'Turn Here'.   The Severn was in full flow, a swirling muddy brown torrent carrying lots of debris.  It is well into the red on the lock gauges so we can't venture on to the river yet and it is starting to flood the car park by the fairground.  We gather it is still rising with floodwaters from the recent rain storms in Wales.  No problem our overnight mooring here in the basin will do until it abates in a few days time (?). No one can come up from the river or down to the river now.  The dutch barge had to sign an indemnity to come up from Worcester this morning. This evening the level on entry to wide lock showed as 9.6.

Saturday 9th June

Making ready to depart and mixer tap in the kitchen decided to play up - couldn't stop the hot tap running.
tried changing washer but that just made it worse.  Cruised to Kidderminster, weather improving, and did a
shop at Sainsburies then went through the town lock to Weavers Wharf. Went on a tour of Kidderminsters ring road cum roundabout system looking for a B&Q to buy a new tap and connectors.  Spent rest of day trying to install the new tap and failed.  Now couldn't use any water at all - no showers, no tea, no washing up etc. We were moored outside 24 hr Tesco so stocked up on still mineral water and bought a ten pound meal deal and finally settled down to watch a DVD.  Only boat moored here on a Saturday night so a bit nervous about what to expect but in the event only heard distant laughter and shouting as revellers made their way home and we had no problems. As usual the bad reputation the place had acquired proved to be undeserved.     

Friday 8th June

Invaded today!  My sister Lynne has booked a table for eight at 13:00 at the Lock Inn.  She arrived about
10:30 and the others followed about 11:00.  Drinks on board until we were ready to go for lunch.  Our cousin Val is in UK from Canada on the way to meet her husband Don in Spain before going on a cruise in the Med.  Good time. Very good lunch we can recommend the Lock Inn at Wolverley with a small dining room overlooking the lock.   The weather was better than anticipated but still overcast and windy and we did the right thing abandoning plans to cruise here from Kidderminster.   Lynne stayed on for a while after the others had left to return to Stow and to Gloucestershire.  Walked into Wolverley with the dogs and had a pint at the Queens Head before Lynne departed taking Mac with her.  He hasn't eaten now for 4 days and needs to be away from Mabel before he wastes away!