To prepare for the trip, Celia and Richard arrived on Wednesday evening, closely followed by Eddie who, while C & R were doing a late night Tesco trip, stayed at home warming the boiler, ready for tomorrow. (Is it true that men like shopping there because of the Tescosterone?) It was unfortunate that the access gates were padlocked shut on our return and we had to park the shopping in a local housing estate overnight.

Thursday 26^th dawned bright and clear and we retrieved the van, complete with the trip’s food. Penny and Pete arrived followed shortly by John. Everyone piled in on the preparation for the departure which took place on time at 12.00. Pete took the tiller and John the elum for the Old Main Line route to Brades Junction, where we put Kildare down the staircase first because the water in the pound below was low and we could get under the low bridge without problems. President followed after a couple of upcoming boats had passed, which raised the level sufficiently to allow her to traverse the pound without ploughing the bottom.

After a brief halt to disentangle part of the packaging industry’s contribution to the canals from the blades, we arrived at Smethwick Stop to meet three members of Carlton TV led by Keith Wootton, who were to travel to Birmingham with us. They are preparing a new series of Water World for transmission starting in January. Various interviews and filming of activities followed, which included the removal of an umbrella and associated bits of clothing from the propeller.

The moorings commenced at the Soho/Icknield Port/Main Line junction and were continuous all the way to the National Indoor Arena (hereinafter called the NIA). A minor misunderstanding as to route led us to pay an unscheduled visit to Gas Street Basin where winding was neatly accomplished with the aid of poles and put paid to the comment "you’ll not turn those two luggers (I think he said luggers) in this basin".

Our reserved space between Raymond and Tindal Bridge outside the NIA was occupied by a boat whose skipper thought that he had found a prime mooring for the show. He moved out and P & K took up residence in what was to be their home for the next three days.

Friday was bright and rainy in turns. We set up our stand and borrowed a tarpaulin from Raymond which was rapidly draped over the stock and sellers and display whenever it rained. There was tremendous interest from the public and the visiting boaters. Pete was loaned to the steamer Adamant as steerer for the duration of the Parade of Historic Boats. Richard took part in an interview for BBC Midlands. A heavier than usual shower closed things down at about 5.30 and the crew relaxed and later enjoyed a Chilli con Carne which was hot enough to take their minds off their aching feet.

Saturday’s weather was even hotter and just as showery, which didn’t deter the public at all. The interest and the questions continued throughout. Joe Safe, a former boatman, paid several visits and gave us much interesting information, especially about Kildare. FoP visitors included Mike Young and Andy Holbrook. The Millennium project interviewed Penny and Richard. The project is to record a thousand five minute personal video views of Birmingham which will be stored in the Birmingham Archives. Some may be put on the Web.

Eddie left on the bike at 4.30 and returned pushing it half an hour later having experienced a sudden front tyre puncture just in front of a bus (much to the driver’s amusement). Subsequent investigation revealed that the inner tube had five holes to let the air out and only one to put it in.

Pete left us to go home and the depleted crew sat on the quayside and enjoyed the late sunshine, an open air meal and, later, a folk concert before repairing to the boat and staging our own private concert. The level in the wine boxes had nothing to do with the quality or the quantity of the singing.

On Sunday, the mixture was much as before but without the rain. It was decided that President would join in the Parade but in her own mini-version to limit the amount of time she was away from the quay. A high speed reverse took her into the Oozells Street Loop entrance and then a whistle blowin’ steam puffin’ hand wavin’ bow wave creatin’ passage took her to Gas Street Basin where she was winded and waited to slot in the Parade behind Malcolm Braine’s Jubilee for the return to Old Turn. There we went back to our mooring, while the main Parade made its way to the Icknield Port Loop before processing back to Cambrian Basin. Nick and Sue Haynes and Dave and Angie Stott were among the FoP visitors who held the fort with John & Celia while we were away.

Preparations for departure started at 3.45 and the breasted pair went astern at 4.15 to turn by the island and head towards home after a show which had raised a considerable amount of money and generated much goodwill and seven new members for FoP. Penny steered much of the homeward journey with John once more on the elum.

All went well until President entered the bottom lock at Brades. The gate refused to shut and after much work with boat hook and keb Eddie extricated a 5’ section of 1½" steel reinforcing rod complete with concrete. Further investigation revealed more bricks and a lump of something on the bottom of the lock that was too awkward and heavy to lift so had to be dragged out of the way. Ninety minutes delayed we joined the Old Main Line and stopped for dinner on the Netherton Tunnel aqueduct. Relaxation ceased with the realisation that the car park at the Museum closed at 10.30 and John wanted his car out to go home. A bustling journey followed which gained the narrows at the entrance to the Dudley Canal at 10.25 complete with a propeller full of weed and rosebushes. John retrieved his car, Penny nutted the iron bar over the wicket gate, Kildare breasted with President, Eddie lifted the bridge (with assistance), Richard stepped in a large and smelly pile of dog and Celia made welcome drinks.

Monday morning, it rained until we had finished cleaning and closing down the boats and transferring our belongings to the cars. Then the sun shone. And we all went home. Exhausted. Happy. A great four days.

Richard Thomas