Well yesterday evenings rain cleared up before midnight so we were able to see the New Year in with a glass of Port and watch the fire works in the distance before creeping off to bed. Even then we could hear the bangs well after midnight.
This morning started quite well but soon turned dull and overcast. As we set off you could see rain on the canal ahead, but nothing falling on me or the towpath, thankfully it didn't last too long. Again we met a few boats and caught up with one at Stanthorne Lock.
The river Weaver was down quite a bit since we came by almost 2 weeks ago, its all within the banks now.
As I said we caught up with a boat at Stanthorne Lock, it was a couple with their two young grand daughters and they were trying to draw the bottom paddles. Now I am all for getting young kids involved but this did worry me, as Grand dad went from side to side helping each one to wind the paddle a bit, at one point the smaller one had her hands above her head trying to pill the windlass, if something had have slipped I hate to think what would have happened. They apologised for holding us up which wasn't a problem. As we came into Middlewich John popped out for a chat and wish us happy New Year while the boat ahead dropped down Wardle Lock. When we arrived at the lock we found they had kindly drawn a paddle for us so the lock was just about full. We were able to thank them on the Trent and Mersey as they had moored outside Middlewich Narrowboats for dinner. Well there is plenty of room along there now the yard has closed down. The three Middlewich locks were against as was big Lock but that was almost full. While I waited for the lock I was buzzed by a Drone, no doubt someone's Christmas present.
Not long after leaving Big Lock it started to rain, on me this time so just passed bridge 176 we moored on the convenient mooring rings, We did consider going on to Bramble Cuttings, another couple of hundred yards, but here we are completely clear or trees etc. Since we have been here the wind has picked up again with some quite good gusts coming through every now and again to give us a little shake.
Today' Journey
I have just checked the statistics for 2017 and we covered 1400 miles and did 1043 locks, spending 184 nights on board.
1 comment:
Pets NYR - to follow your blogspot proper in 2018. So be warned - I do like to comment !!!
Your comment about the wiggly woggly Weaver being difficult to make navigable is hardly valid as it is not the w-w bit that is proposed for possible future navigation. The junction length from the flashes with the Middlewich branch would avoid it. More problematic is the wretched high speed waste of time/money railway and shunting yard proposed which will clog the place up ad infinitum. Regards Pete Stockdale
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