Kidderminster trip day 9
We’re so close to our final destination that we decided to take a slight detour today and visit Stourbridge. As aways the thought of a market tempts me, the website stating
“…with lots of inspiring gift stalls, crafts, jewellery, clothing, home bakes, fine foods, and general stalls of good quality,…..” Mmm, that’s open to a lot of interpretation.
However we set off bright and cheerful turning off the Staffs and Worc canal onto the Stourport Canal for the 2 miles it would take us to reach the Bonded Warehouse at the end of the Stourbridge Town arm.
This route takes us through 4 beautiful locks, but as are most locks, they are deep and dangerous,and the water rushes through the gate paddles quite ferociously. it makes for a smoother ride to open the ground paddles first.
We experienced both the fast and the smooth today. Firstly, the boat coming down the canal ‘helped’ us out. Just as I closed the bottom gates, without checking to see Eric was ready, they opened the top gate paddles. I shouted for them to stop but they couldn’t see what the problem was. Eric on the other hand was being thrashed about as if he were in the white water rapidsat a theme park, which when you’re not prepared isn’t safe or much fun. These boaters were first time holiday hirers and I think they had only come down locks rather than going up them. I’m in no position to be self righteous and “a know it all”, I’ve still got loads to learn about lock handling, but I do know this, I don’t offer to help until I’ve got the drivers go ahead. And always open the ground paddles first. (despite nearly drowning us, their intentions had been good)
The next lock also held some newbies, A brood of 8 or so newly hatched ducklings were exploring inside the lock with their mum. As the lock was empty there was no way we could encourage them out. Eric’s driving skills were put to the test again, trying not to squash any of them between lock side and boat. This time I only half opened the ground paddle so the water trickled in. Sadly one of the ducklings did suffer. We could see all the others paddling furiously and quacking loudly, but this little one just bobbed about looking very bedraggled. As soon as there was enough water in the lock I was able to reach down and scoop him out. He didn’t make any attempt to struggle and it was another 5 minutes before he could stand up. Once the lock gates were opened we were able to usher the family to the safety of the reed bank and I reunited little ducky with his family. We don’t know if he had been injured or was just too small and young to cope. And I can’t be sure he’ll survive as he still had wet feathers. But hopefully we gave him a fighting chance.
Usually the ducks and ducklings just get swept around the boats in the open canal and aren’t in any danger. But 18 tonne o’floating steel can’t stop instantly and not a lot will survive unscathed being squashed by one.
The rest of the journey to Stourbridge was uneventful. The town itself had some fine old architecture but it was overpowered by modern concrete. We weren’t inspired to stay. On the positive side we did find an independent shoe shop that was able to find some waterproof shoes that fitted Eric perfectly so it wasn’t a wasted journey. We might return to explore another day because there is a glass making tradition in Stourbridge and although I saw signs pointing out various glass ‘venues’ I didn’t actually find them.
Just to add, there’s a lot of contemporary architecture that I love, but concrete shopping centres aren’t my favourite.
We spent the night moored in Kinver.
8 miles travelled
10 locks worked