Thursday morning was beautiful, cold but with the sunshine starting to break through the trees. So following breakfast we set off on our journey returning to Stone, leaving the Staffs & Worcs canal and back onto the Trent & Mersey.
There was a bit of a debate between Captain Neil and Sous Chef/Commander Stevie, about how long the journey would take. The best way to calculate distance and time on the canals is to use Nicholson's Guide, which shows you standard mile markers and the locks you have to pass through. Added together these give you lock miles, eg if the journey was 12 miles and you pass through 3 locks then you are travelling 15 lock miles. Divide this by 3 (mph) and it tells you how long your journey will take, in this example 15 lock miles = 5 hours. The calculation for today indicated 7 hours but Captain Neil was clearly expecting us to get a spurt on (within the speed limits of the canal of course) predicting 6 hours. Well the proof will be in the arrival time as they say. I'll let you know who was closest.
Although Stone was our first calling point on the trip, it is close to the Aston Marina, which is currently Rowington's base, so with a big push today we have a relatively short trip back to the Marina on Friday morning before heading home. The added attraction is that we know there is a good selection of pubs for our final night. Thursday is also fend for yourselves night, no gourmet food from Head Chef Dawn, so we have to decide amongst ourselves what we will have for tea. This is more difficult than it sounds, four blokes trying to make a decision on food! My reading of the runes to this point is that the hot favourites are Fish & Chips or to continue (close) to the standard we have become accustomed to and call into M&S and get some form of microwavable gourmet meal. I suspect after a few more beers in Stone I know which way the chips will fall! Still if all else fails at least we have a stack of Oatcakes to work our way through, so I don't think we will be going hungry.
Although the boat is currently moored at Aston Marina, it tends to be moved to different locations approx once every 2-3 years, previously it was based in Gayton Marina near Northampton on the Grand Union Canal. The boat is shared ownership with 12 shareholders and the group have to decide and agree between themselves where the boat will be moved to at the end of each period, plus lots of other major decisions about on going maintenance. The big topic of conversation at the moment is that the boat is due for a repaint in October '21, but after a couple of years debating whether to change the colour scheme or retain the current one, there is still no decision. The colour scheme on a narrowboat gives it its identity, so I can understand why this is a big decision to make. I look forward to hearing more following the AGM later this year, all I ask is that it's not painted red & white, other than that I'll be happy.
We need to turn the boat round tomorrow morning, for those following the blog you will know what that involves, then we travel about an hour back to the marina, (that must be 3 lock miles) and prepare the boat ready for a new crew to take over on Monday.
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