Back tracking north

We left Sharpness early yesterday morning and headed back north to Gloucester.

We knew we were getting close when we passed under the biggest swing bridge I've ever seen!



To spend another night in Gloucester docks, much quieter this time. What with it being mid week and no football matches being shown at the pub.



We sat on the wharf and watched the sun go down while the sea cadets paddled themselves round in ever decreasing circles.

Then this morning we set off passing through Gloucester lock and back onto the Severn. With the captain at the helm we headed into the current. Not as bad as we had feared it would be, didn't slow us down too much.



Then I took the helm and found something else to obsess over, a straight wake!



Next came the Avon, well after the lock keeper came off his lunch and let us in.



We've moored up in sight of Tewkesbury Cathedral. Ready to press on tomorrow where we are to collect a very special guest who is on a fact finding mission from New Zealand

End of the line

Well we can go no further on this canal, we've reached the sea ! off in the distance were the two Severn crossings.

We still haven't seen a working boat despite all the warnings in the guide book, but as we got closer to the sea the boats we did see got bigger!

We stopped just short of Sharpness as it still has working docks, but there is little else here just a great view over the Severn estuary to Wales.

.

So we mounted our trusty steeds and went to find the very end of the canal.



One very orange jacket saw it's first public outing too.

The canal terminates at a tidal basin with what would have been a huge set of lock gates out to the sea. They have been blocked up now and we weren't about to venture any further. Apparently the Severn has the third highest tidal range in the world. Not narrow boat friendly.

Though the railways tried it.



Until a ship wiped it out one foggy night. The bridge is long gone, but the ship that did the damage can still be seen at low water. As too can the remains of the railway swing bridge where it passed over the canal.




Tomorrow we turn around and start heading back up stream to the Avon.

Back to work

Before leaving Gloucester lock this morning we played proper tourists and went into town. After a spot of retail therapy we headed back to the boat and set off. The bright orange jacket I got in the sales will be glaringly obvious in future posts.




Only to stop again just after the bridge to one of boating's least pleasant jobs, emptying the holding tank for the loo. After which we filled up with water and set off again only to stop a few hundred yards further on to take on provisions.



As this is a commercial canal still, I donned an old works T shirt and set off, very apt as we passed very close to the Dentressangle depot at Gloucester on our way.

There are many swing bridges on this canal, the widest and deepest in the world when it was completed. So all the bridges spans are large, all are manned but not all of them have to be opened because you can slip underneath some of them while closed in a narrow boat, but not this one.

Every bridge has a keepers house adjacent to it, and very grand they are too.

The canal was very quiet we didn't see another narrow let alone a working boat. Until this appeared around a corner on a collision course!


That was nothing compared to mooring up between two other boats in a howling tail wind, not a elegant arrival but any mooring you can step ashore from is a good one.

Tomorrow? pictures from the seaside.

Surprise Visit

The captain checked her phone this morning and found we were to have a surprise visit from Mum and Dad B.

When they arrived we had a tour of the docks,

Where Mr B found the ideal pump for irrigating the top field.



I found the perfect cure for my biking itch. Hmmmm I wonder where i could get one?



Then we all went to the waterways museum.




Where Jen met two of her heros,




and I got an idea for a steering upgrade and an outlet for my ropework craze, Hmmmmm I wonder?



Tomorrow we restock the ships supplies and strike out for Sharpness. We thought long and hard about going as it's a commercial canal. We've come this far we may as well see it to the end. It terminates at the coast and it's the only time we'll have a chance to see the sea on this trip.

Gloucester Docks

Yesterday was a bit grey and dull, but there was some local colour.

It brightened up in the afternoon and as the lock keeper is redundant these days with all the locks being manned he put his feet up when we got to our moorings at Upton upon Severn.



We wondered why all the moorings had such huge poles holding the jetties????



Then we looked up.



YIPES !!!

Today we headed further south, passing Tewkesbury on the way,




and being passed by four girls rowing with one arm behind their backs, oh the shame of it.



We were weighed down by a racing pigeon who landed on deck for a quick breather. Eventually he got back in the race and carried on his way.



Then we donned our life jackets ready for the infamous Gloucester lock.




It's a big one and treacherous on its approach. We drew quite a crowd once inside.





It seemed to take an age to fill but once through the docks are spectacular.





Tomorrow we plan to visit the museum and do a spot of shopping.

Big Waters

We left our mooring at the foot of the locks this morning, or we tried to. Soon as we started up the oil warning buzzer sounded. Stopping the engine quick sharp I went below. The sump pump for draining the engine oil was playing up again. Draining most of the oil into the bilge.

Time to get serious!

There's nothing like the taste of sump oil in the morning.

I stripped it, drained it and rebuilt it. The plate that held the one way valve in place was loose and the engine had been pumping and draining its own oil out. Think I got it this time.

With everything back in good order we made a second attempt to head down stream. It's quite a change from the confines of a canal to be out on big, wide waters. What a great way to travel.



The only problem is that moorings are few and far between, and everybody else wants to use them too. Unlike the cut where you just pull in and moor up.

Then we encountered our first weir ! this one was well marked, but we have passed one that if you weren't paying attention you could easily sail right over it.





The weir also signaled our first lock. Manned and fully automatic. The lock keeper sees you coming, sets the lock and on the green light you are clear to sail in.





All very civilised, until we met our first big fast boat. Wow riding his wake was errrm, interesting.




We made Worcester in good time and have moored up next to the race course for the night. In the morning we head for Upton upon Severn.

Land of the big boats

We headed out into another wet morning, happily it wasn't too long before the sun came out.

We pottered into Kidderminster and pottered out again after a spot of shopping. Then before we quite realised where we were, we dropped down into Stourport basin. Where we found an excellent chandlers. We are now flying the flag.



We actually managed to get a BW washing machine to work but decided its worth the extra couple of pounds for a service wash. We passed the time while we waited by showering and I made a flag pole for the ensign.

Then we entered the land of the big boats.



The lock keeper wasn't too sure about it.



We reached the point of no return and headed into the last lock that would take us down to the river Severn.




The captain surveyed the conditions,





With everything OK we hit the big water!





Tomorrow we sail to Worcester.