Day 27: Engine Arm, Smethwick to Tipton.

Hello family, friends and followers.

After dry, but chilly weather yesterday. Today we had plenty of the wetstuff. It was raining when we woke up and did not stop.
Once up and about, I relit the back cabin stove and put the kettle on. The stive was definitely going to be needed today, because as well as damp it was cold. Having emptied the cassette and got rid of rubbish and fire ash, we left the Engine Arm mooring at 10.00am with light rain falling and the sky heavy with more of the wetstuff. We had made the decision to move, so off we went back along the arm.

Immediately we thought we had collected something on the prop, but we kept going anyway.

We passed by the residential moorings.

Turned onto the aqueduct.

We decided the aqueduct was the best place to stop and check the prop. Putting your hands and arms into the water at the moment is bloomin freezing, but needs must and all that. Keith managed to get plastic and thick weed off the prop. Whilst he washed, I put everything back in place in the back cabin. We fired up the engine and were off again.

Our under the arms bridge, we turned left and headed off to Tipton. Engine Arm to Neptune's Wharf, Tipton, 5.6 miles no locks.

We were at least dry under the M5 for a while. I put some sausage rolls in the oven and made us a nice hot coffee. It is always a good idea to keep your core warm on a cold day.

After two and a half hours of cruising in the rain, we stopped opposite Neptune's Wharf and moored up. The heavens absolutely opened then and the wind blew. I reckon we picked the right time to stop for the day. I want to visit the charity shops in Tipton to see if they have a tank top or something I can alter. That is our cruising done for the day. I hung our Donkey jackets in the back cabin to dry out. I had to wring out my gloves, they were so wet. Both the stoves are going and we are nice and snuggly.

Pop back soon xx