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Thursday 4 January 2018

Home Wednesday 3 January 2018

Well last night didn't go quite as planed, about half seven we went up to the pub only to find that the chef was feeling unwell and had gone home at seven, so no food. We went back to the boat for a think, no other pubs in the area but a couple of takeaways that offered delivery. I rang Eastern Spice who were happy to deliver to the pub for us at 9 o'clock so it was back to the pub for a beer and wait for the food. The barman did say we were quite welcome to eat it in the pub if we wanted to, but it was easier to take it back to the boat. For £18-50 for a set meal for two we were more than happy.

Being moored down below the pub I think we were well sheltered from storm Eleanor and I only recorded a maximum gust of 31mph. we were also well away from any trees.

This morning we made an early start for us heading back to the marina, the wind was still a bit gusty but nothing to cause problems.

Passing through Marston the retirement chalet village is expanding somewhat, looking at Google Maps there look to be well over a 100 chalets on sit already.DSCF0144

Crossing Wincham Brook there was moor water in it today than there was yesterday afternoon with the land around it flooded.

There wasn't a trace of steam today when we came through the Tata Chemical Works, but it looks as if some new pipes have been moled under the canal just to the south of the works, I don't think this is anything to do with Tata but probably one of the utility companies.DSCF0146

Back at the marina I had to make the decision of whether to sail straight down to out mooring or reverse down as normal, by now the wind had picked up again hitting over 30 mph. but it was coming almost straight up the pontoon, so I literally winded by the end of the pontoon, it took quite a bit of power to push the stern against the wind, but as I did the bows weathervaned round so we were almost in line with the pontoon, we had to pass a couple of boats where Diana had to lightly fend the bows off.

Once moored it was a case of taking things to the car which Diana did while I drained the fresh water system.

We had just over a fortnight onboard and in that time we covered 138 miles and passed through 58 locks.IMG_0239

Today's Journey map 185¼ miles in 1¾ hours with no locks.

Our journey home from the marina was not quite so straightforward, as we drove south along the M6 there was a traffic announcement that a car had left the carriageway travelling north but it wasn't causing any hold-ups, so when we passed a notice saying queuing after junction we assumed it was rubbernecking causing a hold up on our side so carried on, wrong. It was a multi vehicle collision on our side completely closing our carriageway and for a time they closed the other carriageway as well as there was no oncoming traffic. When we finally passed the site of the collision there was a well smashed up car and the remains of another which was unidentifiable right against the crash barrier.

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