Date - 28 Feb 09 Day -Saturday Start -0930 hrs Fazeley End - 1630 Atherstone
As I walked the dog this morning there was a boat at the BW offices taking water and I heard them say they were off to Coventry so A gave them a half hour lead before we set off. When we arrived at the bottom of the Tamworth flight I didn't expect a queue but the boat that had left before us was still waiting to get into the locks. It was about here that my cold took a turn for the worst with the shivers and feeling very cold. Once clear of the locks I took a couple of pills and Diana took over driving. As we approached the Atherstone flight we decided to stop for lunch, we normally eat on the move but that is never easy in a flight of locks and to be honest I quite fancied sitting down for a bit. We had been there about 10 minuets when a blue narrow boat with Waterscape painted on the side came by and went straight up the locks which were all in their favour and meant we had to tern every lock. 2 locks up we met a couple walking and as she was wearing a RN body warmer I asked where the boat was, the moor at Barry Hawkins yard half way up the flight, After helping Diana with the gates they asked if I had a spare windlass and set the next 4 locks for us. At the top of the flight the coal boat Ghostly was trying to wind, the only way he can get round is to run his nose into the footbridge leading to the water point, pull his stern into the corner by the top of the lock and then pull his bows round past the water point, as he was by himself we gave him a hand pulling the stern back. We carried on for about a mile past Atherstone and moored for the night at about 4 30 and very shortly after that I took my self off to bed. You will find our latest position at http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route -- Brian
