The morning looked good, even though the weather forecast wasnt, so we decided to go for a short run up to Kinver and back.

Called in at Sainsbury’s on the way, and then on in lovely warm sunshine to stop on the visitor’s mooring at Kinver for lunch.

Up to wind just above Hyde lock and then back again. As we were approaching Debdale lock I suddenly lost all power. It was clear that there was something round the prop. Thinking it was just some leaves, sticks etc I tried a blast of reverse, but no it was jammed solid. By now the boat had drifted over to the far bank, so I poled across to the towpath and got down the weed hatch. Twenty minutes later I had removed a tangled mass of nylon netting, twine, sticks & string.

At the next lock (Wolverley) as the boat entered it suddent stopped dead partway in. There was a large log jammed between the boat and the lock wall. I tried removing it with the boat hook, but no luck. I started hitting it with the lump hammer. It was was moving but slowly, then a man from the adjacent pub came and helped and we managed to free it.

On down to just below Wolverly Court lock for the night.

Well after dark a hire boat from Portharb came past going north. We guessed that they had planned to go down the Severn to Worcester, but found it closed and so had to go back the long way.