Our maiden voyage, in rhyme!

A poem written by our guest, Chris Goldsmith, about our first cruise of the year...

Through the central part of Birmingham
Past Old Turn and Winson Green
Hear the engine throb and thirmingham
Like the skipper she sounds keen

Dudley Port, a short detour
For a trip round the museum
By the tunnel we can moor
Vintage buildings? Let's go see 'em!

Wolverhampton twenty one
Down the flight in record time
Local kids are not much fun
Bl***y nuisance, little swines!

Now we're off the BCN
On the Shroppie we must go
Through the stop lock. Northward, then
Ever onward, going slow

Passing cuttings deep and narrow
On embankments way up high
Going straight as any arrow
Through the landscape on we fly

Easter Sunday, now at Brewood
Boats tied up for miles around
Getting near the time for fewood
Moorings at the yard we found

Habitations rather sparse
For a little while I dozed
Market Drayton we can't pass
Got there early - it was closed

Coming down the Audlem flight
A Bolinder I thought I heard
Minutes later - I was right
Two working boats, and then a third

Nantwich for a morning's rest
Quite a pleasant little town
Hurleston Junction. Well I'm blessed
Met a hire boat coming down

Down the locks at Bunbury
A two-rise, wide staircase, no less
Pause and think. Now let me see
We can't afford to make a mess

Beeston iron and Beeston stone
Tricky locks for us to try
Beeston castle stands alone
On a hilltop just nearby

Coffee break - a full three hander
Now at last, we're on a roll
Went ashore and had a gander
Round Ma Hardern's glory hole

Friday morning, into Chester
Let's go see the city wall
Northgate locks we'll give a rester
King Charles' tower standing tall

So here's to Neil and Corinne
And to Abi (she's the crew)
Boating life to them was foreign
But they soon learned what to do

Thanks again to Chris Goldsmith for some wonderful prose!