Saturday 12th July
to Tuesday 15th July 2014
We completed the usual chores as we headed off - water,
elsan and rubbish - and through the locks to complete the Audlem flight.
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| Outside the Shroppie Fly getting water. |
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| our first lock for the day |
Once through we only had a short cruise and we pulled into
Overwater Marina to talk to them about mooring for 3 months whilst we head
home.
As they say, you only have one chance to make a first
impression and I have to say we were well pleased with what we saw.
We managed to talk to Simon in the workshop about the work
we want to get done - again we were well pleased with what he had to say.
It is always other things that go on around and things that
you overhear which help to fill in gaps in the overall picture, and it was
those that made the decision a bit easier.
The upshot is that we have booked for the 3 months that we
will be away; paid the deposit and now we don't have to go on looking at that.
A coffee and something to eat in the cafe completed a bit
more of the scene - the fact that it was a lovely sunny morning was sheer
bliss.
After all of that we headed off again - this time just a
further mile up the way to the mooring length between bridges 82 and 83 where
the Shropshire Union Canal Society has very kindly provided seats and stands
for BBQs.
The weather had been predicted to turn a bit windier, less
sunny and a stronger chance of rain in the late afternoon/ early evening - that
didn't deter "she" from the desire for a BBQ - as she would say -
"it would be rude not to make use of what had been provided".
So the BBQ came out,
fuel and firelighting equipment - presto, it was alight - even in the wind -
then it wasn't and finally it was again.
We are getting better at this.
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| a study in concentration |
Without too much charring of the food we did settle down
for dinner - the clouds were getting a wee bit darker but fortunately the rain
held off until after we had finished and everything was back inside.
It was fortuitous really with the rain - it managed to kill
off the hot embers, thereby eliminating the need for us to do anymore about them until morning.
As expected, the play-off for 3rd and 4th in the World Cup
went the way of Holland with Brazil giving
another insipid performance.
On Sunday, after some moderate rain (it was neither light
nor heavy), we set off under grey clouds, but with optimism about it getting
better.
We only wanted to go as far as Nantwich for a couple of
days.
Approaching Hack Green locks we saw the sign for the secret
Nuclear Bunker, but decided that since we would be coming back this way soon it
could wait until then, but more importantly there was a boat exiting from the
lock.
It what can only be described as the perfect way to do 2
locks, we entered the lock where the gates had been left open; descended; gates
opened; another boat coming up and out of the next lock; passed in the pound;
entered the lock; descended; gates opened with the help of the person on the
boat ready to come up - through in just 10 minutes - why can't they all be like
that.
Onward to Nantwich - just 3 miles away.
Our first experience of Nantwich was when we were on a hire
boat; came across the embankment in a bad cross wind - a boat approaching
wanted to hold in the middle of the canal, we reduced our speed as much as
possible with the wind - still they wouldn't move over - result we hit a moored
boat - not hard, but we hit it.
We were still too inexperienced to yell obscenities at the
offending person.
Since that time, Diane has not held fond memories of
cruising Nantwich and now as we approached with the cross wind there were
revived memories.
Fortunately we avoided any repeat of our first time - we
have learnt to take the line that we needed and the boats coming towards us
were more polite in their course as well.
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| Nantwich aqueduct - from above... |
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| ... and from below (that woman is in the photo again) |
We moored up at the top of the walkway ramp and made our
way into town for a look around and ultimately lunch - it being Sunday.
It was a very lovely lunch at Wilbraham Bar and Grill -
the service; the food; and the price.
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| Sunday lunch - very very nice indeed |
It is amazing how the fresh air; the humm of the engine and
the general feeling of the freedom you have on the canals, all conspire to make
one feel really sleepy - that is what happened again in the afternoon as we sat
to watch Stage 9 of le Tour - Diane was only kept awake by the race and my
snoring.
Feeling a refreshed after that brief interlude we saw the
end of the race, read for a while and then readied ourselves for the WC Final.
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| Diane found a pattern and created this |
Diane suggested that we go out for a walk up to the
chandlery to see about a couple of things - all the time promising that we
could get an ice-cream when we got there.
The weather had turned again since the morning and it was a
glorious sunny day - perfect ice-cream weather, and I was looking forward to
one.
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| obligatory photo with the horse |
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Somewhere down there is a shop with an ice-cream with my
name on it - pity it was closed |
I now understand how she strung the kids along all these
years with promises - we got there - the chandlery was closed and so was the
bl___y cafe.
No ice cream - I had been dudded!
No chance of falling asleep watching this game - it held
your attention as the expectation of a goal at any time remained a probability.
Eventually the goal came and Germany won it's 4th final - well
done!
As Australians, we do not have the prevailing view of Germany or Argentina in sporting terms or any
other way you may want to look at it - it was a good match -perhaps not a great
match - we simply enjoyed the contest!
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| Sunset on a near perfect day |
Back to work for Monday and after getting a lot of that
done we headed off.
We were starting to see a lot more boat movement - after
all this is a busy canal with so many people doing the ring; the weather was
good and it wasn't school holidays just yet (at least I think not yet!)
We neared Hurleston Junction and there were boats in both
directions waiting - apparently a boat had got stuck in one of the locks causing
a queue of boats down below - I guess
there would have been a queue above the locks as well.
We stopped at Barbridge to take on water - after a short
wait for the boat that was just about done we moved across.
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| spotted this just up from Hurleston junction |
Well just as we were ready to leave a couple of boats were
coming along, so we decided to allow them to go through.
The first wanted to wind at the junction, the second held
back; then there were two more boats coming along; the first had winded and
moved back to allow the second to turn the corner - the delay in this meant
that by now a boat was coming under the bridge from the Middlewich branch and
wanted to turn left to head south.
There were 6 boats there all trying to squeeze through the
narrowed space by the water point - where we just wanted to get away from.
Eventually, and with no problems at all, the first three
boats - virtually all in the junction cleared away - we weren't waiting for any
other boats to come through and truth be known it was better that we moved next
anyway. Around the turn we went and all was fine.
So some slow cruising past all of the boats - no need to go
quickly as we all knew that getting through Cholmondeston Lock would be slow with boats in
numbers all heading that way.
Correct we were indeedly.
There were three boats ahead to go down and boats down
below wanting to come up - so a bit of a wait; sunny day by now - who really
cares about a delay - and we were all in good spirits.
We moored up just past the marina on the straight just
there - far enough away from the railway line.
It was a lovely spot and allowed us to empty out the decks
below in the engine bay - the time had come to start preparing the area for
painting - also a chance to sort out what was still wanted and what would be
leaving us for good.
The area has been treated with Fertan and places found to
store everything - all is right with the world.
Oh and I did eventually get my ice-cream
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| Sums it all up in our boat |
12 Miles, 7 Locks
Totals:
2656 Miles, 2030 Locks, 91 Tunnels, 32 Lift
Bridges, 151 Swing Bridges
