Day 4

Bristol to Bath

SS Gt Britain today. Strong currents in Feeder canal so leaving delayed until 15.00
Still further delays due to grounding of excursion boat in Netham lock. There was not sufficient water in the canal as the lower lock had been opened beyond Bristol to flush the mud away from the river (this mud has a memory and returns within a few days, so the whole process has to be repeated)
Eventually, given the ok, we motored against the current, but with the wind, up the feeder canal to moor up and await closure of the overflow. Moving into an enormous lock, we tied up to a buried cannon — just about 50cm of the muzzle visible. A rapid journey back to Hanham lock and then to the Lock & Weir for a pint of Gem. Wilson (a retriever) and Jasper (a black lab) were in attendance. Jasper was ever hopeful for a crisp or two — as with all labradors, but hope proved in vain. Back to the boat and the ducks. They must have a bit of labrador in them as they were expecting food in the form of stale bread!
The TV is up an running — a minor miracle as the aerial is just a copper loop stuck to the top of the narrowboat by rubber sucker.
A chance to review the day and our visit to SS Gt Britain. Very emotional — she returned to her birthplace 127 years after she left. Abandoned in the Falklands and after a failed attempt by the Falkland islanders to get her restored, in 1967 after the vital initial moves had been made (letters to The Times), a salvage team went out and with the help of mattresses donated by the people of Stanley, the colander was plugged and she floated. A perilous voyage home and she was in Avonmouth. Refloated from the barge, she was towed under the Clifton bridge (for the first time) and arrived back in the dry dock in which she had been built on 19 July 1970

At the end of her journey, the biggest risk had been Bristol City Council who wanted to concrete over the floating harbour and cover it with flyovers and through roads. Here we can thank a lack of money that saved Bristol from the fate that overcame Coventry and Portsmouth.

Today, a safe dry berth sustains the GB (15% humidity to stop the rust below the waterline) and above, fresh paint and new wood.
Good to visit and you must seek help from the guides — so keen to help
Tomorrow, Bath and boar cheeks

Slightly hairy journey down the Avon into Bristol Floating harbour. This craft, which looks so large and strong on a canal, metamorphoses into a tiny tin can with a pitifully weak engine; the leeway is something to behold and only topped by Ena’s response to wind. She is a fickle creature, and will rapidly move in the direction of the prevailing wind.
SS Gt Britain tomorrow am; we have seen the original mizzen mast on Ross Road in Stanley and now for the real restored item

Moored up outside Bath, or I suppose, in Bath as we can see the terraced golden stone houses across the hills over the towpath and the railway.

Moored up along the concrete side of the canal and everytime a boat passes, the boat hits the side and the clang echoes along our 47′ narrow boat called Ena. The wind is now picking up and as we are on a sort of embankment, the boat is rocking with the gusts.
This canal was built at the end of the 18th Century and designed for barges. The locks and bridges can cope with wider boats – after all it seemed to be a rapid transit in days of sail to transfer goods (think sugar and coal) to London.
Now to cruise into Bath proper and see what the moorings look like (will there be room at the inn?)

* apologies to Iain Banks