While I was untying the boat I managed to miss the bank and finished up with my right leg wet to the knee. Not a good start to the day!
We finally moved off around 10:30, and had a steady run down to Lymm. Just pulled onto the visitor moorings as it started to rain. Only the towpath side moorings are available at the moment, the ones alongside the car park are being refurbished. Good job we’re out of the busy period!
Smart new moorings in Lymm (eventually…..).
Did a shop at Somerfield, then went back into the town for fish and chips for lunch. The rain showed no sign of stopping, and we didn’t want to stay overnight in Lymm, so we pushed off at around half-past one. The rain wasn’t too bad, anyway.Next stop was at Thorne Marine in Stockton Heath. They’re still there, although still under threat of closure by the leaseholder, Peel Holdings. They want to redevelop the site. More “des res’s”.
Near Grappenhall. A heron waiting for the Number 57 to Stockton Heath.
Topped off the diesel and water, picked up some more solid fuel and emptied the loo. This took some time as our arrival coincided with school finishing, and the boatyard shop is a favourite stop for sweets on the way home. By the time we got away it was gone half-past four.
It took nearly 1½ to cover the last 4 miles to the spot we usually stop at, about 20 minutes from Preston Brook Tunnel.
Not long before we stopped, we passed the charity boat from Claymore Boatyard at Preston Brook. It was tied to the bank, with a chap with his head in the engine bay. I gave him a shout, but he said he was OK, just some rubbish around the prop. We’d had the same problem all day. Anyway, after tying up I walked Meg back up the canal, and the boat was coming around the corner. Just as it approached, the engine died in a cloud of steam and diesel smoke. He tried to restart it with no success. I suggested that he leave it to cool down, but he decided to leave the boat where it was for the night and walk the 20 minutes back to the marina as it would soon be dark. We walked back to Seyella so he could use the phone to tell them what he was doing. I just hope it’s not completely seized. I guess the rubbish around the prop had caused the overheating. The boatyard will collect it in the morning.
The rain stayed with us all afternoon, but it’s supposed to be fine the rest of the week.
Locks none, miles 12.
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