Spring Summer Cruse 2015 ❶❽

Black Country Museum to Hawne Basin

Date 24 May 2015

Overnight the weather was overcast with a few light showers.

Morning:  What a strange sort of day its been. We stayed overnight at the Black Country Museum. This morning a leisurely cruise was planned as we set off to go along the Gower Line and to go down the Tipton Factory locks then out onto the Birmingham Level of the BCN. 

Afternoon: Just after noon, we dropped down the first lock and entered the lower  pound in between the first and second lock. We were waiting for a boat doing the BCN challenge coming up the flight to clear lock two. However, the lock gate would not fully open. CaRT staff were quickly on site to clear the problem. We put Rosie into the lock so the CaRT staff could work inside the lock from the front of our boat. Richard Parry came aboard for a chat while we were waiting .After an hour or so the problem could not be cleared. So we reversed back up the flight and went via the Wolverhampton level and Bradeshall locks and the Gower Branch. Then the Netherton Tunnel Branch. We observed a number of Daubentons bats inside the tunnel.

Evening: We arrived via the Dudley Number two Canal. It was early evening - after navigating Gosty Hill Tunnel. We then booked in and settled down for the night.

Wildlife:

Birds: House Sparrow, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Rook, Starling, Blackbird, Mallard, Mute Swan, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail,  Long Tailed Tit,  Coot, Moorhen, Grey Lag Goose, Canadian Goose, Grey Heron, Wood Pigeon, Buzzard, Herring Gull, Greater Black Backed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Swallow, House Martin and Swift.

Butterflies: Meadow Brown
Bats: Daubentons,

 

Today's Total.

Miles: 10.9
Locks: 5
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 2
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 8.2
Solar Panels: 38 Ah

Accumulated Total.
Miles: 2205.3
Locks: 1355
Swing / Lift Bridges: 299
Tunnels: 41
Pump Outs: 22
Engine Hours: 3171.1
Solar Panels: 20737 Ah