Down to Worcester

 25th April; Perdiswell Park to Commandery

We slept well, not getting woken by the cold as we did last night, or a peculiar noise as we did in the marina the night before, when Dave got up and opened the side hatch to see what was happening and there was a large carp abruptly flipping round with an almighty splash and heading out to open water.  It must have been grazing the algae on the hull.

I took Meg over to the park for her morning outing, then we were visited by our first ducklings of the year, a large brood of twelve.

 

Fluffy little bumble bees

 

All twelve of them!  How long will they last?

I walked through the tunnel under the railway and up the alley to buy a paper.  M&S foodstore was closest, but don’t open till 10.30 on a Sunday, and Lidl too but they don’t do papers, so a trek up the hill to Sainsbury's it was (granola bars and choc chip cookies may also have found their way into the basket).  After another cup of tea we finally got going at 11, dropping down the first Bilston lock and spotting someone coming up the second.  We met two more boats at each of the Gregory’s Mill locks so had an easy passage.  The swans are nesting between the two flights, and there are notices on Gregory’s Mill top lock not to let them through – it’s another’s territory down below.

Below the bottom lock were some grapple/magnet fishers.  I could see them trying, and failing, to haul something heavy to the side as we dropped down the lock.  They thought it might be a motorbike; the little lad solemnly informed us that they had already pulled out 2 knives. 

We just hoped the motorbike, or whatever it was, stayed out of reach of boat propellers!  We had planned to stop at the park with the mural for lunch, but meeting the other boats had saved us time so, anticipating Blockhouse lock would be set for us, we went on.  It was indeed, so it wasn’t long before we had moored at the Commandery and were preparing lunch. 

We walked down to the river in the afternoon, downstream past Diglis river lock to the footbridge, and crossed the river to see how the fish pass construction was progressing.  It looks finished and ready for fishy action, but the area is still fenced off to people though it’s not obvious why.  This is the most you can see.

We're looking forwarad to when the viewing window will be open. 

On our way back we admired the cherry blossom by the flats overlooking the river.  Check out that glorious sky!

We fancied a pint in, or rather outside, the Anchor by the basin but it was very crowded so we went back and had a cup of tea instead. 

Without Sky on the boat, Dave is having to listen to a footy match (Spurs v Man City, some cup final or other) on radio 5live.  It’s very stressful.

Carabao Cup, the old League Cup I believe, sadly it wasn't Spurs' night.

Before it got dark, three inebriated City supporters wove their noisy way past our window.  Dave glowered at them (discreetly).

5 locks, 2.5 miles, no cup for Spurs.