Wheelock Tuesday 20 November 2018

Well the rain woke us during the night and it was still at it when we got up.

We passed another puzzle today beside Clear water Lock 63 Malkins Bank. It must be 6 meters tall but the tubular bit at the bottom is probably about a meter tall. It looks like a giant pump but I wouldn't fancy working the handle.

Once it stopped raining, well it did for a few minutes we walked up the lane to look at the work going on at the New Country Park, they even have the road officially closed so they can access both ends of the site with their equipment.

As we walked back to the boat the crane driver was just heading back to his cab, I think I would have taken my flask and sarnies with me.

Once the rain eased again we set off, by now it was almost 12-30, we had mixed luck with the locks, some for and some against even though we did meet a boat just below Hassall Green bottom lock. The rain was on and off all afternoon and we stopped for a late lunch just by the entrance to the arm at Malkins Bank, there are a couple of handy rings there. Before setting off I took a photographof the ex working boats in the arm and also walked to the next lock for the photos I put up earlier.
Just as we were setting off a boat came down the lock behind us so I was able to set the next two locks ready for them. One thing I noticed was the amount of water coming round the locks down this end, I have never seen it flowing so fast, maybe someone got it wrong further up the flight, but Middlewich shouldn't be short of water tonight.

We carried on to Wheelock visitor moorings where we pulled in for the night, we did discuss going to the Indian restaurant but in view of the weather it will be the pub or the Italian.

Today's Journey 10 locks 2 miles in 2 hours