5 tunnels to Birmingham

A beautiful morning at Tipton, just round the corner from the Black Country Living Museum. Our aim was the Hawne Basin, through Coseley, Netherton and Gosty tunnels, 
Gosty Tunnel, aka The Rathole

and a seriously tight entrance into the Basin. 

It's the home of the Combermere Canal Trust, and a better bunch you couldn't hope for. The cheapest diesel and pump out on the cut, a clubhouse, washing machine and tumbledryer, and best of all, a bathroom with a proper tub, which I infested for a good hour. Wonderful!

We stayed for one night then back out through Gosty and Netherton tunnels, to head into the centre of Birmingham. Coming back through Gosty, we were very much hampered by a piece of plywood in the water.  When we were finally out it took both of us to manhandle it onto the bank.. 2m x 1m, waterlogged, slimy, heavy.
Sad to report a canal rage incident,  where we were gradually catching up to a boat ahead, and only maybe 3 boat lengths behind. When nb Senior Moment decided that was a gap he could push into, claiming as a commercial boat he had priority. Selling fudge, excuse me? Worth nearly going into our bow? Hardly a blue light situation, was it? I held my line so he had to go behind us but he stayed right on our rear for the remainder of the journey.  Would he have been so stroppy had there been a male on the helm? (Probably yes, we've come across him before, nasty old epithet).
In the end he cranked up to max revs and stormed past us, whereupon I mentioned in a subtle roar that if he was in such an Anglo saxon hurry he shouldn't have been moored up until midday.
Never mind, we were safe on our hoped for mooring by 1.30pm, spot on.
About 100yards from the Sealife Centre right in the midst of the city .

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