Well what a windy day! Felt as if we would be blown away at times, certainly not safe to wear a cap. We made good progress despite the weather, only two locks. Stopped at Venetian marina between locks to change a gas bottle, they suggested that a slightly larger bottle would fit, and with some lateral thinking, they were right, so now I can buy gas at a better rate. Took on water at Barbridge junction and joined the main Shroppie Canal again, mooring at Hurleston junction by the Llangollen. We may stay here for a day especially if it is still as windy.
16:12 18/06/2009 4.93 miles 6 locks
Weather better today - off to Middlewich, good run, busy canal, lots of boats headed for the folk festival. Arrived at the big double lock, nearly first in the queue. The single locks beyond that had lots of boats waiting, but that meant helpers all around. Middlewich itself was chaos as usual, hire boats tied up 2 or three deep blocking the canal. Chris ahead of me managed to set the lock right on the junction for me, so we sailed around the worst bit in no time at all. No moorings available for shopping, eventually stopped on a mud bank and Mary went off. I bought diesel off a travelling barge and discussed the state of the world. Despite rumours the 'tax man' is looking at the red diesel sales and checking up, a number of itinerant suppliers like our one have given up due to the paper work. Moored above 'Winsford Top Flash', part of the Weaver Navigation.
15:16 17/06/2009 8.01 miles 0 locks
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| From 2009 Cruise |
Back to our mooring at bridge 176, it would have been a lovely return trip through pleasant countryside, including a 'wide' and wildlife, but it rained. We have been lucky up to now, but today was the weather's revenge. We ploughed on through rain so hard I could hardly see, the combination of steamed up glasses and falling rain limited visibility, luckily there was not much traffic, sensible people staying moored, but we had to move off the 24hr moorings. The rained stopped just before 3 so Bella has been out and the Sat dish is up, for how long I don't know, I suspect the wind will move it before long.
17:58 16/06/2009 7.96 miles 0 locks
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| From 2009 Cruise |
Good fast trip to Anderton, through wide winding canal. Busy at Anderton, we booked to go down in a couple of hours, but then crew mutinied and we changed plans. Chris and I went for a boat trip along the Weaver and up the lift, the ladies sat and rested!
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| From 2009 Cruise |
19:13 15/06/2009 8.71 miles 6 locks.
Off to see if Middlwich is busy, it wasn't bad before the junction with the Trent and Mersey, apart from a small accident with a Black Price hireboat that didn't seem to notice I was already going through a 'narrow' when he tried to do the same! I reversed rapidly and mainly avoided him - he made no comment!
Once through the lock at the junction it was very congested as there are two hire boat fleets based here, and boats collecting for a folk festival next weekend. The promised thunderstorm didn't reach us so we ploughed on to find a mooring about two hours away from the Anderton lift, our target tomorrow.
19:12 14/06/2009 0 miles 0 locks
Day off, weather good, plenty of sun. Canal traffic busy, as it was the weekend and just outside a marina. We planned to sit it out until Monday when it might be less busy.
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| From 2009 Cruise |
19:58 13/06/2009 2.5 miles (!!) 2 locks
Slow day - busy weekend on the Middlewich Branch, the wrong time to move - queued for 1.5 hours to get through each lock, went for services aqnd found their tank was full, so moved on the the new Marina At Church Minshull, we moored outside here last year and were woken by the sound of diggers at 7.30 in the morning. This year they are open and full, with a waiting list. Had to wait behind a hire boat, and then found they had the slowest(smallest) pump, but never mind, friendly staff. Whistler had gone on ahead to find the best 'grass'. We found them a bit later exactly where we moored last year. Nice site complete with picnic table. BBQ in the evening and toasted marsh mallows.
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| From 2009 Cruise |
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