Give me bread

salt bridge

in Star lock

It was a bright but chilly start to the day. We passed dozens of young swans swimming, feeding walking in the fields and resting on the canal bank. Most of them still had some brown cygnet fluff clinging to their snowy feathers. The canal must be a healthy environment for there to be so many.

 It clouded over ominously as we moored at Stone but it was a pleasant walk to the shops. Lottie and I lurked outside while the Captain got provisions. By the time he got out it was raining heavily –and he wasn’t wearing his coat. We sheltered from the worst of the rain under a bridge then sprinted back to the boat when it seemed set for the day

view from the top of Stone's second lock 

old warehouses

We had a very long lunch break to miss the torrential rain and finally set off mid afternoon when the rain stopped and the sky brightened.

leaving Stone

By the time the boat was rising in Star lock it was raining again. The Captain decided to carry on instead of squeeze into the only available mooring in the short pound. The rain got heavier. While waiting for the boat ahead of us to rise and another to come down the third lock the Captain filled Fine Chance with water. 
As we reached the fourth lock it stopped raining. the Captain wondered whether to carry on up the next four locks but moored up

Swans 

A pair of swans came knocking at the window for food. Instead of bread, which they get far too much of, I threw them some dried mealworms. I normally give them wild bird seed but that sinks. The male swan looked at me and hissed as if saying where’s the bread? But his lady started feeding on the floating treats. As I threw more he cottoned on and joined in feeding though I think he would have preferred bread.

It was the right decision to stay put as within thirty minutes of mooring the sky darkened and the rain hammered down again.