Hunt Lock, Northwich

Day : Friday
Date : 29 March 2019
Start : 1015 Am
Finish : 1615 Hunts Lock

It was a splendid evening yesterday without a breath of wind, but

the temperature fell below freezing overnight and at 6 this morning the mist was so thick I couldn't see across the river. Things had improved dramatically by the time we set off at quarter past ten, It was only fifteen minutes down to Vale Royal lock and we arrived the same time as the lock keep even though we weren't booked until eleven. They saw us through and waved us goodbye, we boated down to Hunts Lock and they went in their truck, arriving a little before us.
Hunts lock looks as if it may have settled a bit over the years and the walls been topped up level, just look how the two layers of stone come together at the end.

By now the weather was really nice so we took a very slow chug down to Barnton Cut where we stopped for lunch spotting several Kingfishers on the way.

We had to be back at Hunts Lock for tonight ready for dry docking in the morning, so a slow chug back upstream stopping to top the water tank fully at Northwich services. On the way we passed this Cormorant warming its self in the sun and drying its feathers.

We then called in to have a word with Matt at Northwich Dry dock to find out the plan for the morning. They would float the tug out first, now with a splendid black hull and then come and take us up through the lock and into the dock.

Today's Journey

8½Miles 2 Locks in 4¼ hours