Not the best day to start with 2 double staircases. Why not the best day? Well it is the height of the season for hire boats and Wednesday must be the day they all pass through Stourport going down onto the river Severn. Diana goes and sets the bottom lock while I unhook from the mooring. I enter the lock and as Diana is about to fill the lock she spies someone opening the top lock gates. They hadn't even thought about what was happening below them and were most concerned as they had a "70ft boat" and another one was behind them and 2 more boats waiting at the top. The easiest option was to back out and let the two 70-fters come down. Diana negotiated with the third boat, 60ft, to pass in the middle pond so we started up. Of the half dozen or so giving advise nobody seem to read the instructions so every time we tried to fill a lock there was not enough water so we had to cycle it down from the top. On one occasion they stopped putting water in and indicated I should move forward. I did a bit then backed off. They got the message that I would move when I was happy with the depth of water. Eventually 3 1/2 hours later, having had a delay in getting gas we were on our way. So was the rain. We stopped in Kidderminster so we could top up the generator petrol and go to the police to see if Diana's Bracelet had been handed in and make a lost items report for insurance purposes. Back on the boat to move on. one does not moor overnight in Kidderminster. Moored up at Wolverley lock. So to finish a wet day went to "The Lock" for dinner.
Thursday 26 August. 2 miles, 2 locks, 1 tunnel.
Still raining but we decide to go into the village of Wolverley. A quaint place with nice cottages and a unique tearooms/grocery/gift shop/library. On the boat for lunch and then a slow trip to the mooring. Slow because we didn't want this experience to end but end it must. Tomorrow we will pack our bags (traveling for 3 1/2 months without using a suitcase is great), tidy up the boat and, weather permitting look at the local area. Dave & Lynn will take us to Worcester on Saturday to catch a train to Windsor for a couple of nights before flying out to Canada.
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