Graham goes swimming.

Friday 21st August 2009

An early start under an undecided sky. By 09:00 the heavens had decided and it became monsoon season. Each drenching was interspersed with glorious sunshine . Graham decided to take his shower between Shutt Hill lock and Deptmoor lock so that he's arrive at the GiG all fragrant. Instead he took a bath! He saw a fat and fruity scone floating in the canal by the lock gate and to show his devotion to me thought to fish it out of the water as he knows I enjoy a nice scone. That was fine until he slid on rain soaked green goo and ended up in the canal. I had just untied Jannock and so ran away from him - rubbish wife I turned out to be! I retied the boat and went to his aid. Luckily Diana was already there and was wise - she dropped the paddle to stop G. being sucked in. She and I then helped haul G. out just as Brian arrived to assist. He was hauled out safe and well . Thank you so much to the crew of Harnser. That whole episode was bad enough but he was absolutely gutted to find that he'd lost his 'goggle-eye' glasses off of his hat. We looked in and beyond the lock to no avail. All that could be found floating in the vicinity was the scone that started the whole episode. We arrived at Stafford Boat Club mid afternoon and moored bankside ready for nb Justice to come alongside when it arrives.

Brenda

R.I.P. Googly Glasses 2006-2009

During my accidental immersion yesterday the only real casualty were my beloved Googly Eye glasses that normally adorn my hat. I found them floating in a lock on the Deepcut flight (Basingstoke Canal) on 17th April 2006.

They always caused a bystander to smile and generally started a conversation by people who admired them. I was once accused of being blind by a group of women who I met on the Northchurch locks who then had to retract the statement when I found and returned their BW key they had left in an anti-vandal lock.

They have even been worn by esteemed visitors to these shores (aka George Pearson of Canals List fame) as well as appearing in the photographs of many bystanders who took pictures of Jannock working through locks.

Alas they were lost in Shutt Hill lock on Friday 21st August 2009 when I took my sudden and un-expected submersion above the top gate.

What puzzles me is that I found them 'floating' in a lock but they was no evidence at all of them floating at Shutt Hill.

The end of an Era.

Graham

www.jannock.org.uk