Harnser's Travels: Northwich Drydock

Tuesday, 9 June 2026

Northwich Drydock

We dumped the rubbish, this is the last waste disposal point going upstream waved goodbye to Steve and set off upstream, I gave Martin the Saltisford lock keeper a ring to say we were on our way and he had the lock ready when we arrived. Shortly after leaving the lock we passed the dredging disposal site. the digger driver sitting in his cab waiting so I knew Rouben was on his way and we passed on a bend just before Winsford swing bridge we also met a canoe and once above Anderton the CRT trip boat, they were doing more trade than when we saw them last, this time they had 8 people onboard.
With June 16 approaching, the start of the course fishing season the local angling clubs have been doing vegetation management where they intend to fish.
The dredger in now working right opposite the town mooring pontoons, I gave him a couple of blasts on the horn and moved slowly closer but no acknowledgment, By the time I was up to him he was dredging around the end of the dredger and behind the flat, so I wound it on and went past diving two more blasts, at this point the lookout chap stuck his head out of the hut for a look. On both occasions we have passed the unit the lookout has failed to see us coming and he has a very large window in his hut. We wanted to fill with water but there was a very nice cruised there so we dropped in below him and waited until he was finished before topping our tank up. From here its a short chug up to Hunts Lock where we are booked for 2-30pm. As we came into the moorings a CRT operative walked down and said would it be OK if we went up at 2PM. Weather wise we have had a couple of very heavy showers. In the end we went up at 2-15 just as the hail started. About 50 yards above the lock we turned sharp left down the wear stream and passed the rowing club, then it really started to hail as we approached the