Pea soup

 

After a most enjoyable couple of days in Droitwich we untied from the bollards at 07.55 and turned right out of the basin towards The River Severn. After only a hundred yards or so we were surprised to see this amount of Algae on the canal ,it was certainly just like Peas soup.

From Droitwich down to The Severn it is a barge canal and we are back to double locks.

We did the Droitwich canal last year and said at the time that from Droitwich Spa town to The River Severn it has to be one of the most boat un-friendly canals anywhere, it’s Reeds all the way. From the Basin in Droitwich there are no moorings at all until you get to the lock above The Severn where there are a few moorings , Although if you happen to be an Angler there are hundreds of well prepared  places to enjoy fishing from. This is a distance of 8 miles.

Leaving The Droitwich canal we dropped down onto The River Severn and headed North up towards Stourport. We were joined on our cruise up the river with NB Nauti-Lass .

We don’t mind the Severn locks at all. When entering it’s just a case of putting your ropes around a steel rope which runs up the side of the lock. You then hold tight and keep the boat against the lock wall as it fills.

After a good cruise up the river we pulled in and used the wide locks as we were travelling with another boat and there was a couple of boats using the single lock.

When we got half way up the locks we were a bit shocked to be confronted by an angry Gentleman who looked to be in his late sixties and wearing a bright red jumper,he had a right go at us for using the double locks . He wanted to know what the hell did we think we were doing and and why didn’t you both use the single lock. He went on to explain that he worked in the basin and knew what he was talking about. He said that the double locks used more water than the single lock and we were being ignorant using those locks. I kept my cool and asked him if there was a water shortage to which he replied “no”. At this point I was ready to get off Inca and have a right go at him (Verbally of course), but Carolyn stepped in and told me to stay where I was and she then tried to diffuse the situation. To say he was aggressive was an understatement. I should have taken a picture of him and shamed him on here. He then walked off shaking his head and mumbling to himself.

Eventually and very Peed off we exited the top lock and entered the basin ..

Just to jump forward  ..

We walked down to the locks the following day and spoke to the Volunteer lockie who lives in one of the Cottages next to the double lock. He told us that if two narrowboats came up the river together they would often lock them up in the double lock . We explained to him what happened the previous day and he was a bit shocked at what had happened . Never mind , you do get the odd idiot now again ……

In the basin and we got onto the services and filled with water and got rid of our waste. There are two 24 hour visitor moorings in the basin which are  behind were we are moored . But you certainly couldn’t get two 60 feet boats on them .

But luckily we were able to pick up a mooring above the lock which lifts you up and out of the basin. We will have two or three days here to explore the area before moving off along the Staffs and Worcs canal.

                                                                                                   Happy Days