Woke to a much nicer day but there is a huge wind out there. Luckily we are in a small cut so we are quite sheltered but I rather wonder how the boat (and helmsman) will fare in cross wind conditions. We might wait to see a boat go past before we venture forth and there is yesterdays paper to read first.Lynn shot through for a run to Brewood (and to visit the church). Charlotte and I went for a walk along part (a very small part) of the Staffordshire Way.
After a brief encounter with the weed hatch we headed on around 10:30am. Our boat was reasonably manageable in the crosswinds apart from an incident with a group of surly and unhappy anglers, you'd have thought that having narrow boats come to and fro was something they'd have gotten used to? Apparently not. We had to go close to the bank to pass traffic coming the opposite direction and the wind pushed us onto the bank and their nets. We did apologise.
The countryside was empty and quiet and very very scenic. Indeed apart from the anglers the canal itself was pretty quiet. We did have one rental boat who was desperate to overtake us, we let him go after he'd had one go and broad-sided when we both had to stop because a boat was coming the other way through a single lane bridge. PillockFresh farm eggs purchased by the side of the canal for lunch were huge and delicious.
The wind remained strong all day but got colder and colder, more and more thermals needed to be worn but even so we got colder and colder. Eventually we stopped about 6pm and made it to a nearby pub, The Wharf, for a pint. The beer was good but the meals looked and smelled a bit fried food so back to the boat for barbecued pork chops. Excellent.