Going downhill fast!

 Sunday 13 September Gas Street Basin to Rocky Lane moorings, Aston (2.5 miles, 21 locks)

Last night we were collected by our friends Mike and Wendy, who live a few miles away, and had a takeaway with them. We caught up with each other before they brought us back to Annie.

Friday night it was noisy until midnight, then quiet at Gas Street. Last night we had very noisy happy revellers just outside the boat, at the Canal House, until 0100 Sunday morning. John watched Match of the Day, then Gladiator. It was quiet as the grave by 0115, so we slept well until about 0800. We noticed one of the resident boats had gone round the corner overnight , returning this morning after breakfast. Smart people! We do like staying here, despite the occasional cacophony.

This morning we had breakfast before a long visit to the services near The Mailbox to fill our nearly empty water tank. John also emptied all the loo holding tanks. 

We passed through Broad Street Tunnel to The Old Turn, with its little round island.

Brindley Place was quiet on Sunday morning, of course. As we turned right at The Old Turn and past the CRT services to descend the thirteen Farmers Bridge locks, we saw a CRT volunteer about to litter pick, and persuaded him to get his windlass and help us, litter picking as he went. He did a sterling job, closing bottom gates and lowering the paddles as John took Annie out of each lock. 

Liana went ahead, filling locks and opening top gates, while John closed the top gate after entering each lock, then opened at least one bottom gate paddle to lower the water level before getting back on Annie while he could, before she dropped too far. John squeezed Annie past an oncoming boat in the short pound between locks. As a team, we did ten locks, and the thirteen were completed in just ninety minutes! 

 

We passed through the arched cavern under Snow Hill Station.

We had lunch above the Aston flight top lock, then descended the “thick” of eight closely spaced locks to the visitor moorings at Rocky Lane, mooring just before the heavens opened, thankfully.

The small shop and takeaway were both closed. John watched Liverpool beat Leeds 3-0, while rain pattered on Annie’s roof.