Five days in the dock.

It had snowed overnight before we were due to go into Trevor Dry Dock.
Johnny came over to collect Mags, Meg and the baggage, taking them home where we would spend the next 5 nights. I motored down to the winding hole beyond Scotch Hall Bridge, turned around and came back past the wharf.


Matt told me to reverse into the dock, so I pulled under Bridge 31W to line up for the entrance.

It didn’t quite work out as planned; the flow from under the bridge kept pushing the fore-end over, but we got there in the end.

Inside the very clean, very tidy Trevor Dry Dock.
The workshop was the same, tidy and well organised. It gives you confidence that you’re leaving your home in good hands…

John brought me back across on Tuesday morning to collect a couple of things I’d forgotten to pack and to discuss what needed doing with Matt. As well as the blacking I’d a new propeller to be fitted and new anodes all round. Then there was a repair to the bottom of the rudder post, where it enters the cup on the skeg. There was wear in there, not severe so it could have waited till next time, but I thought this was a good opportunity to get it sorted. Then we left Seyella in Matt’s capable hands.

I got an update on Wednesday; everything was going well and we agreed to flood the dock again this morning.

Meanwhile we’d had a great time with Johnny, Val, and Harry the dog. Good company, good food and lots of laughs. Awarded 5 stars on Trip Advisor…

So this morning Johnny brought me back down at half-eight, so I could have a look at the work before it all got submerged again.

Looking good…


Shiny new propeller…


…one of 4 anodes…


…and the bottom of the rudder post now all sorted out.

Matt has done a good, thorough job for us, and I'd not hesitate to recommend him to anyone needing work on their boat.

Oh, and this is why I wanted to replace the prop…
…it’s a bit bent!

I’ll weigh it in for scrap when I get the chance.

Refilling the dock.


There was no room to moor on the arm, so I went through to the basin. But by the time I’d turned around two boats had moved so I was able to pull in right alongside the entrance to the carpark. Good news, as it was absolutely throwing it down and here Mags could step out of the car and straight on board when Val and John brought her down to join me.

Richard from Chamberlain Carrying Company was delivering us some coal and diesel this afternoon, so this spot was good for him too. They’ve been very busy, and they finally arrived with our fuel at about half-seven! They do work hard to keep the boaters serviced.
Now it was a shall we - shan’t we moment…  Sunset was at 8, and we were out of water (again). I could have carried my 50 lt bottle over the footbridge and back, but there’re water taps the other side of the aqueduct. And with the low cloud cover it was likely to stay light longer.

So my back won out, and off we toddled out of the arm and over the aqueduct as dusk settled over the countryside.

Looking eastward, upstream as we cross the Dee valley – for the last time this year.

We filled the water tank then decided it was still light enough to go a bit further…

Starting to get darker as we come to Froncysyllte and the lift bridge.

There was enough light to negotiate the lift bridge but it was darkling as we passed the lime kiln moorings, so we pulled in on the rings just a little further along.

It’s supposed to be a fine day tomorrow, so we’ll aim to make a few miles back towards Ellesmere.

Locks 0, miles 1