Boating and walking

The past few day's I've been re-arranging the all the stuff we have to carry around with us in Dove, spare Gardner engine etc. Trying to make things little more tidy and to give us a bit of social space in the hold for our outings. Social meaning, windup gramophone and home brew, or is that "boat brew" now.
After the tinkerings last week we had a test run to Huddlesford and back on Friday afternoon to see how things ran and all went well.
On Sunday, the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Society had a canal walk to raise awareness and funds. This was a four mile stroll from the Lichfield cruising club at Huddlesford to the Fosseway lock 19.
We decided to go down to Huddlesford on Dove (again) then do the walk, while chatting to Viv at Fradley it was suggested that we might take Grimsby for a little jaunt, first time Dove's had a butty for few years.
Sunday morning we cranked up the AS and set off to Huddlesford, picking up the Butty at the Junction. Andrea steering Dove and Viv steering Grimsby, we're off round the junction and through the swing bridge just chugging past all moored boats then open water.....Andrea winds up the throttle and.......no difference in speed at all. With both boats half loaded and not a lot of water underneath us progress was to say the least, steady.
It was a quiet morning, not much traffic at all and quite pleasant just plodding on to the chug of the motor. Then we got to the A38 bridge and then hell broke loose, what a place to meet another boat. I'm steering by now, I'm in reverse with full rev's and us and the butty are not stopping, half way though the bridge hole the other boat got the idea that we just might meet so decided to retreat and then went a ground at the other side of the bridge. After ten minutes of forward...reverse...bowthruster...forward...reverse, we finally got through and after that didn't meet another boat all the way to Huddlesford.
After mooring up outside the club house we paid our two pounds and went for a very interesting walk and learnt about the design of BCN locks. Much recommended. Arriving back at the the club house two hours later and time for pint or two then off back to Fradley.
With Grimsby back in tow we set off, all quiet on the cut until, you're not going to believe this, the A38 bridge, we meet another boat, here we go again! and again we meet another boat all the way to Fradley.
On arrival at Fradley the usual audience are outside the Swan. We have to turn into Junction lock, breast up and then reverse back to Middle lock, dropping off the butty on the way and it all went to plan. Am I glad about that!