One of the travellers was ready to pole the front end round and plunged the pole into the bank, whereupon it immediately sank some 3 feet into the soft mud - and stayed there, sticking out into the waterway at 45 degrees!
It was still there an hour later, refusing all attempts to dislodge it so, as I was ready to set off, I sidled over to see if I could help, mooring Chyandour alongside the hire boat. After a short while the sunny weather changed dramatically and we were treated to a full blown rain / hail storm for about 10 minutes; talk about getting soaked!
After the rain eased off, I decided that a bit more effort was required on the pole - effort that could only really be supplied by a boat engine! So, with a barrel hitch and frapping around the pole at one end and the rear end of Chyandour at the other, I used a rope to tug the pole out of the bank. It took a lot of muddy water churned up by the propellor and black smoke from the exhaust but, after only a few seconds, the pole began to move and was soon freed.
The good folk on the hire craft were soon on their way, as was I, albeit quite a bit later than I had intended. After filling with water, I started out for Brewood and moored at the Brewood Farm country moorings about 12.30pm.
This is a really beautiful and peaceful spot, I have decided to stay for a couple of nights.
Being of a Franciscan disposition does not mean that I don't value prayerful insights from other traditions, and I have found this prayer of St. Benedict of great value:-
Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you,
intelligence to understand you,
diligence to seek you,
patience to wait for you,
vision to behold you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
a life to proclaim you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
ons God now and for ever.
I hope you find it helpful as well.
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