Solace Day 3.

Christmas Day!  I awoke to glorious sunshine so we left Branston Water Park heading through Burton upon Trent.   We  made a stop at the pleasant Shobnall field visitor moorings.  This was for mobile reception.  WhatsApp then provided links to various parts of the world including South Africa (Katkatkat) and Sheffield (ArcaneSpark)

The we continued along and at Bridge 30 we came across this fearsome sight.  Fearsome?   Well yes it is an ex working boat tho bow is mid way between our gunwale level and the cabin top.  They are usually 70 feet long so 12 feet or so longer than Solace and deep draughted,so ave to keep to the middle of the channel.

When working in the "old days" it would have been loaded so that the rubbing strake along the side was just at water level.   In this area they would be carrying raw materials to factories or perhaps the produce like those I illustrated on 23rd.

We rounded the day off with a lovely meal,chicken not turkey as the oven was too small and a Christmas cake decorated to look like Solace under way on the canal.