Wednesday, August 12, 2020

I know we shouldn’t complain…

…but bloody hell it’s been hot these last couple of days! Still, it’ll soon be winter and we can complain about the cold.

Amber’s solution to the heat… And chewing ice cubes!

Out first thing this morning, cool and calm before the sun got to hot and the boats started chasing about!

Last night we had one of the most impressive displays of thunder and lightening we’ve seen for some time. The whole sky frequently lit up and the peels of thunder rattling the windows.

Then it slung it down for half an hour in the early hours.

I kept an eye on the situation at the water tap above Cholmondeston Lock and it became vacant at just before half-nine. So we moved down, topped up the tank then joined the short queue for the lock.

With crews waiting below I didn’t have to do anything, gates and paddles were opened and closed by those wanting to get on.

These four locks across the Middlewich Branch are all around 11 feet deep, deeper than those on the Trent and Mersey we’ll be joining and those on the Llangollen that we’ve just left.

 

A gentle half-hour saw us arrive at Minshull Lock in time to help a preceding boat down, then I refilled the lock as there was no-one in sight below. The chamber was nearly full when a following hire boat arrived, so I gave them the lock. They were going further than us.

We eventually dropped down ourselves and then motored around the corner, past Aqueduct Marina and moored on the Weaver embankment moorings. We had intended to go further but it was just too uncomfortable.

Pretty Minshull Lock

Locks 2, miles 2. Another long day then…

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