Teenagers!

[RLWP]

So, as we entered Shrewley tunnel we could just see a boat leaving the other end, apparently dangling fenders. Odd, I thought.

 

It was only when I was half way through the tunnel that I worked out what the "fenders" were. Alongside the boat, begging at the sidehatch were.. two swans!

 

I slowed to let them get ahead of the boat and we followed then out at the horse tunnel end. There, pleased with themselves they stopped for a wash and stretch. They were clearly almost adult - mostly white but with just a few grey feathers.

 

Glad I spotted them before I squashed them against the tunnel side.

 

Richard

[blackrose]

So, as we entered Shrewley tunnel we could just see a boat leaving the other end, apparently dangling fenders. Odd, I thought.

 

It was only when I was half way through the tunnel that I worked out what the "fenders" were. Alongside the boat, begging at the sidehatch were.. two swans!

 

I slowed to let them get ahead of the boat and we followed then out at the horse tunnel end. There, pleased with themselves they stopped for a wash and stretch. They were clearly almost adult - mostly white but with just a few grey feathers.

 

Glad I spotted them before I squashed them against the tunnel side.

 

Richard

I squashed a swan against a lock wall once (didn't mean to it just swam in next to the boat as I was opening the gates)

I actually heard its lungs expel their contents and thought I'd killed it, but the boat bounced off and the swan swam off as if nothing had happened.

[CanalWalker]

I let a teenage swan out of a empty lock in Wigan, I dont know how it got in there but it didnt say thank you for letting it out.

[Patterdale]

I squashed a swan against a lock wall once (didn't mean to it just swam in next to the boat as I was opening the gates)

I actually heard its lungs expel their contents and thought I'd killed it, but the boat bounced off and the swan swam off as if nothing had happened.

 

Better luck next time.

[Odana]

I squashed a swan against a lock wall once (didn't mean to it just swam in next to the boat as I was opening the gates)

I actually heard its lungs expel their contents and thought I'd killed it, but the boat bounced off and the swan swam off as if nothing had happened.

 

Must be more reslient than they look! Better luck with the Canada Geese.

 

I popped a duck once in the same way when it swam down beside me in a narrow lock - proper 'crisp packet' type explosion, most unpleasant. However the incident DID make the very disobedient seven year old child who was with us at the time stop bouncing and trying to jump on and off the boat when we explained that this is what would happen to little girls who fell between boats and lock walls ...