I've been lucky enough to be out and about on my boat around the BCN lately. Attending the Longwood Boat Club Rally called for a trip along the Wyrley & Essington and back and I only went down the weedhatch once ! These cleanups must be working. The rally itself was most enjoyable, a super weekend reflecting the hard work put in by the organisers.

At Birchills Junction an old chap waved and gave me the thumbs up. I passed a pair of swans with seven cygnets near Catshill and another with six in Wednesfield. Single handing down the Twenty One I was lucky enough to meet the BW Heritage Boats Atlas and Leo complete with crews in training so that was a considerable help through a couple of locks. Later I passed a women walking down the towpath who not only pushed a gate open for me but wound up a paddle at the next lock. How many people walk along the towpath with a windlass in their rucksacks ? I met her later coming up the locks as she had joined friends further down the flight aboard the beautifully restored Elements boat, Ben. So that answered that question.

And the previous time I descended the Twenty One, there were cowslips growing in the grass on the lock sides

Hope to see you at Titford,

Phil