Fradley to Stafford Boat Club.

Fradley Junction again, but we arrived quite late in the day and mooring was at a premium. The only spaces were turn right down a lock, but we wanted to go Left, eventually. So I turned L at the junction, but then reversed down the lock to the free spaces. I can’t remember ever having gone through a lock the wrong way before, and it felt quite weird, still looking out for the cill as we dropped, which is normally at the stern, but it was now at the bows! All this meant that we could easily go up the lock again in the morning and carry straight on.
Any way it was a good mooring, opposite the services and water point, which we needed.
On our way home now, past the Armitage Shanks Factory, peering through the dusty windows there are dozens toilet pans being made, hanging on conveyor belts.
And our winter mooring at Stafford Boat Club.
In time to see the clubs firework display.
And a chance to service the engine, fill up with diesel and prepare her for the winter. We were fortunate to get a space at the club, there’s only 40 or so moorings, and they’re not available on a casual basis, we know them quite well but even so we had to be club members and be nominated by a current moorer. We got a space left by a member who’d taken his boat for an overwinter re-paint, on the contractual understanding that we would be out by 1st April next year. That’s ok as we start our cruising then. But Covid-19 had other ideas. Please see the 2020 page.

It’s an anti-climax putting the boat to bed after such a long time cruising, turning your back on her knowing we won’t see her for weeks or months. And then in 2020……….Covid-19