Hurleston Junction Wednesday 27 September 2017

Last night after dark the work boat Effingham came by so I expected him to moor at the top of Audlem Locks and be away first thing so we didn't start to early even though for some reason we woke early.

At about 8 30am a boat came passed so we set of 15 minutes later as I could see others boats coming down the Adderley flight behind us. When we arrived at Audlem Locks our luck took a turn for the better. The boat who came passed earlier were waiting for their son to arrive, Effingham was still tied up, I love the load numbers on the bow and there was a boat coming out of the top lock.

The first two locks were with us and we waited a few minutes for a hire boat at the third. Then a chap walking down drew paddles on the next few lock. He was walking his 16 year old dog, and doing a lock gave the dog a short rest. After that we started meeting boats all the way to the Shroppie fly, although we did have to wait about for a few, including one who turned the lock and then locked up at a couple of clicks at a time on the paddles, one paddle at a time.

We stopped outside the Shroppie Fly to fill the water tank before continuing down the flight, the last few locks being the slowest. Just above The Shroppie Fly a volunteer was walking up the flight spraying the dog poo orange, I think it would have been better if he had used a shove and just cleared it up, painting it orange wont get rid of it and it wont have any effect on the people who don't clear up after their dogs.
The garden on the off side at the bottom lock is coming on nicely, its a community venture so I am not sure who buy the stuff to set or has the produce.

A few years back there was a travelling theatre group who use to perform canal side and at the IWA National Festivals called Day Star Theatre. They were based at the Old Stables just by the winding hole. The people who ran it still live here and own the boat, The Angry Bull, moored out the front.
This is the land of geese and at one point I estimated there were will over 200 just in one group, other smaller groups were on different fields and there was a constant stream flying in to join them.
CRT have also done a lot of offside bank protection work using a soft edging supported on wooden posts. I hope the posts are longer living than the ones available around us which seem to rot off in about 3 years.
We stopped for lunch near the Secret Bunker before continuing on our way in weak sun shine, it didn't really clear out all day. Our target was to moor by Hurleston Junction, so as expected there were loads of vacant mooring spots all the way through Nantwich, actually its a pity we didn't stop there.

For some years there has been a boat moored just the Hurleston side of Nantwich, There must be a story behind it as CRT have never taken action for overstaying, so there must be good reason why its still here. Today it was facing the opposite direction to what we have seen it in the past. I don't know if anyone actually lives under all that?

At Hurleston Junction we could see a space on the far end of the visitor moorings, just in front of a boat we use to moor with on the Middle Level, Ray and his little Staffy, Bones. so we tucked in close in front of him just as it started to rain. This canal is well known for what is called the Shroppie Shelf, the bottom of the concrete edging protrudes out about 2 foot under the surface by a few inches. One way to stop the boat rubbing on this is to float wheelbarrow wheels between the hull and the edge, we had just deployed these and Diana was adjusting the bow rope when she slipped off the foredeck into the canal between the bows and the edge probably helped by the rain that was now falling. Ray and I helped her out, it was quite deep but she stood on the Shroppie Ledge which helped, However she has given her knee a good twist or bang, its not swollen but hurts when she walks, so its light duties for a bit.

Today's Journey 10½miles & 15 locks in 6¼ hours