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
