Click on a picture to see a bigger
version with a caption
As a former competitor, I had gained the impression that the
scroots are terribly well organised. This is when I learned the truth.
Glooming through a breakfast cup of coffee, I asked Chris & Helen where
they wanted me that day, to be told "where you fancy". At that point we were
interrupted by a 'phone call from Keith-the-TV. After spending Saturday morning
with Copperkins II and the afternoon with the event's usual covey of
Wilderness Boats [Click here to visit
their Club web site] , he was ringing to say "where can I go today", so
Helen & Chris went off to collect him and take him to join Ben for
the day. They were then off to try and scroot every single boat in the event
and have a word with the crew.
 Then, while I was still glooming over my coffee, came
another 'phone call. Gerry Sanders' nb Rosie 3 was stuck on the
Walsall Canal with something massive on the blade that required help. As Dave
carries a pretty full tool-kit in his car including a variety of cutting tools,
our team was sent off to help out, via a rendezvous at Tat Bank with Alan
Jervis to pick up a pair of bolt-croppers. After our usual navigational
improvisation, we found the afflicted boat where we expected, with Derek
Beardsmore's nb Yesitis in company in case a tow should prove necessary.
By now it was raining.
 The nature of the problem was obvious at once from the 6
ft square of steel mesh fencing panel projecting from under the back of the
boat (pictured above left). The rest of it was round the blade. I'm far from
the right shape to work with ease down a weed-hatch, so was the chief passer of
tools, hauler on ropes and traffic policeman for passing boats. I also 'phoned
through a number of scroot reports on passing boats. The weed hatch was too
small for the bolt-croppers to be used in it, so one of the boat's crew
stripped off and went into the water to attack the problem from that angle
(pictured right). At that point, who should arrive but Derek Pratt, the
well-known waterways photographer.
No sooner had the problem been cured and the boat set on its
way than Chris & Helen arrived to see how we were getting on. We asked
them where we should go next, and were told that the majority of boats were now
converging from all directions on central Birmingham for a finish at Gas Street
at 1500. So we thought that a bit of scrooting at Smethwick would be a good
idea, where we could watch both the old and new main lines.
 We were about to get out of the car at the foot of Smethwick
locks, when a phone call came through from Mandy to send us off to help
another boat with a serious bladeful, this time Callisto (the
Anglo-Welsh boat carrying Richard Fairhurst of Canal Boat magazine and
his crew) on the Causeway Green Branch of the Titford Canal. Their problem was
a heavy cable (high voltage electrical cable perhaps) - multi-strand metal core
with plastic sheathing, tightly knotted round the blade along with rope and
what seemed to be a pair of trousers. Until Steve, Dave and one of the crew had
already done a lot of the work, they couldn't get a loop of cable loose enough
to get it where the bolt-croppers could deal with it, so had to cut through the
cable one strand at a time. By now the rain was bl**dy heavy.
 It wasn't until 1515, after the official finishing time,
that their blade was clear and they were able to move off. Meanwhile we had
scrooted nb Princess (who was to end up towing nb Marcassin back
to its Sherborne Street moorings after a breakdown), and also one of our canoe
team.. So we missed the triumphant finish at Gas Street and crept back to
"mission control" to change into dry clothes before heading for our respective
home.
The following year I was there again, that time competeing as
navigator on Jeff Dennison's boat Coronation. Read my report of that
trip here. |
