Lower Lode to Gloucester Docks.

Hi Folks.

Last night I sat and watch "The Apprentice". is it just me or are this lot hopeless?

Lord Sugar clearly told them what their objective was and did they follow his advice?

No, is the simple answer to that question. It serves the winning team right that they did not get a treat. I was so hoping that Susan was going last night, she has really got on my nerves.

What does Melody do???

This morning's sunrise. Yes I was awake to see the sun rise.

I had a somewhat disturbed night with the water lapping up against the stern of the boat. The wind and rain lashed down during the early hours waking me from my slumber and then I could not get back to sleep. I made us both a cuppa and we sat and listened to the waves hitting the boat and the wind blowing. By the time I got up the the sun was out and Paddy had a nice run across a local field.

We left the Lower Lode mooring with the wind blowing up a storm, but we wanted to get to Gloucester Docks by 11.45am which was when we could enter the lock. We set off at 8.45am all donned in our wet gear, because we were certain it was going to rain.

The sky was very ominous as we made our way closer to our destination. It was very windy and at times when it was a direct head wind, which Keith tells me in nautical terms we had wind over tide, in other words the river was flowing in one direction and the wind was in the opposite direction, which is when waves are created, he wound the National up to make sure we were not to miss the locking, otherwise there would be a 2 hour wait for the next one.

We were keeping our eyes open for the notice board telling us to radio the lock keeper to let them know we were on the way, which we found at Upper Parting, where the River Severn seperates into 2 channels of which we had to take the east channel. However this was only 2.5 miles from the lock and we were there at 10:45am, so we eased back to a crawl to kill some time before arriving at the lock, and there was us worrying we would take too long and miss the lock, hahahaha. As we approached Gloucester and the docks the heavens opened and lashed it down.

Keith had contacted the lock keeper on the radio for the second time to let him know we were close. He in return told us that he was waiting for us, which he was.

We shared the lock with NB Nobody Knows, who were also at the Droitwich festival. We were in the lock at 11:15am so we had to wait for half an hour before they filled the lock, as at present they are on restricted operation due to water shortage, so whereas normally they would just have let us in and filled the lock straight away, they are doing a 2 hour turn round. At least we were safely in the lock and not having to hang onto the quay wall outside the lock. Once through the lock we pulled into the dock, and spun round to reverse into the new pontoon moorings close to the lock. Fortunately for us one of the 2 linear moorings was available, so we slipped into it.

My first view of Gloucester docks as the lock gates opened.

All moored up we are looking forward to a lovely 48 hour stay.

Chat soon xx