Well guess what we are doing, we are back on the boat. We left Suffolk this morning in bright sunshine but by the time we reached King’s Bromley Marina in was quite hazy.
We arrived at 12 pm. and by 1230 I had the engine running, stove alight and the water system refilled and by twenty to one the ropes were off and we were backing out from our pontoon. This is the first time the boat has been out this year and we are just taking a couple of days to make sure everything is OK.
Leaving the marina we turned left towards Rugeley, as we chugged along the weather got better and lunch was taken on the move.
At Armitage Tunnel we caught up with another boat who was moving slower than us so once clear of the tunnel we stopped and filled with water. At the tunnel a group of lads in high vis jackets were repainting the railings, they weren't over enthusiastic and I suspect they may have been on a Community Pay Back. We chugged on meeting the odd boat, in all we met 9 boats, 3 of them hire boats.
I don’t think a covered swimming pool is the best environment to store a motorbike in, but I guess its better than outside.
We noticed that both sides of the canal, if front of the power station and behind the Ash Tree Boat Club the ground has been cleared and marked out for digging footings, I wonder if these will be housing of industrial. 
I noticed that the winter mooring signs have been removed between the river and the A51, I don’t know how well these were used but it didn’t seem a very sensible location to me, near a busy road and quite a way from town also several hours cruising with two locks each way to fill with water at Gt Haywood.
As the afternoon went on the weather just got better, we bought some free range brown eggs at Taft Bridge for £1 per half dozen, I don’t know if brown are better than white?
Both Colwich and Gt Haywood locks were against us, although we did get some assistance at Colwich from a boat who turned up just as we drained the lock, he was heading for the Leeds and Liverpool the long way round.
We considered stopping in Gt Haywood and there was plenty of room, but the sun was so nice and all the wind had died away that we just kept going. Ho Mill lock was with us as a hire boat was returning to base and we thought we may stop on the 48 hour moorings mid way between Fields Bridge and Ingrestre Bridge but there was already a boat there so we continued until just before Ingrestre Bridge and stopped there. We are moored with stakes and on the bottom but it will be OK for the night.
Today’s Journey
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