Day 14 - Friday December 29th - Kidsgrove to Stone 14 miles 7 furlongs, 15 locks, 7 hours 15 minutes Weather - Overcast and windy with showers early on flight cleared
Bit of a lie in today as we had less than half a mile to go to the tunnel and we had to be there by eleven. Even so, we set off at 9.05am, as no other boat had yet been past, and we knew that one of the pair of top locks was set with the gates open. Also, we wanted to be first into the tunnel, as we had quite a way to go later and didn't particularly want to get stuck behind someone creeping slowly through the tunnel. Arrived at the tunnel mouth at 9.25am to find no other boats waiting. Lock keeper arrived at 11.00am and told us that there were two boats coming through Northbound first, starting at 11.30am. We eventually got into the tunnel at 12.20pm, last boat in a convoy of one. Out of the south end at 12.55pm. Etruria Junction at 1.55pm, Stoke by 3.05pm. Trentham lock at 4.20pm in the gathering gloom. Cruised on to the Meaford flight, passing another boat half way down. Out of them by 5.55pm and out of Stone bottom lock by 7.10pm - not yet dark, just late dusk. Rain set in about half an hour after we moored for the night. Not going to the pub tonight, as we have a backlog of wine to drink and we need a relatively early start in order to reach the Fradley-zone for the mini-GiG tomorrow night. Terry Streeter NB Arun - Stone
