Sept 12th

We left Hopwas this morning around 9.45am after a lovely surprise - Gareth phoned us on a videocall to Clive's phone with Indeia, our three year old granddaughter who is just back from a holiday in the States - we haven't seen her for three weeks!  It was lovely to see her and talk to her on the phone.  We really must get set up with a webcam - that will be even better! The morning was dull but at least it wasn't raining.  We headed off towards Fradley Junction, which is where the Coventry Canal joins the Trent and Mersey.  We arrived there about 1.00pm.  Our boat engine has now been running for almost 50 hours and is now due for its first oil and filter change.  Unfortunately the guy at Fradley was too busy to do it today, he said he could fit us in on Monday!  Evidently today is the day all the hire boats change over so he was swamped, however he recommended a guy at Great Haywood Marina so we gave him a call and he can fit us in first thing Saturday morning.  Great Haywood is approximately five hours cruising from Fradley Junction so, after a nice lunch and a tipple in The Swan we set off at 3.00pm.  There are two locks straight after the junction and just as I had started winding up the first paddle it started raining!  It hasn't stopped yet!!! They say a picture paints a thousand words...................... Need I say more!   The rain just got harder and harder as the afternoon went on.  In fact it is the heaviest rain we have experienced since we set off.  I have to say our very expensive Berghaus waterproofs were worth every penny - again we were absolutely bone dry when we took them off.  Our new cratch cover is also proving its worth, the waterproofs are hanging in there to dry!                                                   Anyway we cruised in the rain for as long as we could and finally decided to call it a day at 6.15.  We are now moored next to the River Trent, West of Rugeley, not far from Cannock Chase, out in the middle of nowhere!  However, we are not alone, we managed to find a spot between two other moored boats.  So we will be up bright and early in the morning to do the last leg to Great Haywood, it should take us about an hour.  We are thoroughly enjoying receiving all your guest book entries and emails.  However, those of you who have only signed the guest book, for some reason it does not give us your email addresses, even though you may have put it in the box, so please drop us an email so that we can put you in our address book.  Do keep them coming, its lovely to hear from you all. Well I think thats about it for today, there are a couple more photos in the gallery from today's journey, including a strange obstacle we had to avoid!