Down on the River

We had a couple of days at Anderton before moving back to Marbury. I’d made a visit to Anderton Marina for oil and an oil filter before we left, so did an oil change on Tuesday morning. Then we backtracked to Anderton for the night, so we were ready for an 09:45 passage down the boat lift today.

On the way we passed Bill on NB Anguilla. He has an Orchard boat as well, and still moors in the marina.

NB Anguilla
When we were considering buying Seyella he was kind enough to show us round his boat. It was built a couple of years before ours, and it gave us the opportunity to find out any potential problems. Both boats are similar, built on the same Jonathon Wilson shell and even in a similar colour scheme.

Bill
He’s out of the marina for a few days, just for a change.

Up nice and early this morning, we were waiting on the holding moorings just before 9. With no-one else booked in this morning, or indeed this week, they were ready for us and we were on the river by 09:45.

Off the canal and onto the linking aqueduct.
In the caisson, ready to go down
Looking back to the canal

The view towards Northwich
On the way down

Looking back up to the underside of the aqueduct.

The structure from the river level
The lower guillotine opens onto the river
Looking back at the lift. We came out of the right hand tank, the guillotine gate is just dropping again.
Turning right, downstream, we ducked under Winnington Swing Bridge then had a short stop a little further on to collect some logs I’d spied while out on a morning run.

Winnington Swing Bridge

We moored on Barnton Loop, the artificial cut which swings around the end of the ridge through which the Trent and Mersey is dug, 50 feet above us and about ½ a mile to the NE.

Moored in the sun.
Now I’ve just got to get it cut and stacked…..
It’s been a fine, sunny day. The forecast seems to suggest that this could be the weather for the next few days. That’ll be a pleasant change from the rain.
Shopping in Northwich tomorrow. Something to look forward to…. At least we shouldn’t have any trouble parking.

It looks like the government have decided to review the possibility of a sell-off of BW’s property portfolio. Though I’m struggling to decipher the official release and it’s implications. The IWA have a better go at it than me, here.

Locks 0 (but 1 boat lift), miles 3.