Speaking of volunteers, as we set the bottom lock two hi-viz'd and life jacketed members of that clan appeared and offered to help us up the locks. We couldn't very well refuse, so one went to assist the hire boat which was following us, leaving Brian who stayed with us all the way to the top.
There was just one faulty paddle in the 84.
The wooden structure around the rack is missing. No need for black-and-yellow tape here. (I think that's Stewart, not Brian, posing with it.)
We had the luxury of no fewer than three volunteers for the last half dozen locks. The other two had been helping the early starter; that job done, they came down to us. We emerged from the top lock at 1200 having completed the flight in about two and a half hours (and shaving a full hour off the time estimated on Waterway Routes, but Paul doesn't assume that a generous helping of volunteer lockies will always be available!)
Jubilee's prop stayed clean all the way up the locks but, on the weedy Wolverhampton Level, we had to stop a couple of time so I could disappear down the weed hatch. I did one more clearance after we'd descended Factory Locks onto the Birmingham Level.
Approaching the aqueducts just west of Dudley Port I could see that a stop gate was partially closed in front of us. (Sorry the photo is poor quality.)
I wondered if I should nudge it back into its fully open position but that rare thing in these parts - a boat - was approaching. There was plenty of room to get past.
A lot of redevelopment is going on in the Icknield Port Loop area. I'm fairly sure this graffiti "artist" is not part of the official scheme.
I'd always assumed they did their paint spraying under cover of darkness, but this was in as broad a daylight as you could get (without the sun actually shining).
After a dry day (hooray!) we tied up in our favourite Cambrian Wharf spot as the sun did, indeed, come out.
*One of the locks near the top of the flight was empty - the water had presumably leaked out.
(Updated to correct typo)
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