Look before you leap

After our epic dash yesterday we had earned ourselves a leisurely start today, with not too far to go to reach home. Even the dogs seemed to realise this, and for the first time ever we were woken by the alarm at 7:45. It was another lovely day, and after breakfast we took the dogs for a walk down to the Bollin, where as usual Bridget chased at least 20 sticks (actually the same stick 20 times) into the fast flowing water. It doesn’t bother her at all, she seems to be excited by the moving water. The other Labradors got thoroughly wet too, and even Ruby toddled down the steep paths and back up again with no complaints.

Mooring at the Bollin Aqueduct again

We got under way at about 11:15, but within a mile we came to the Old Number 3 moorings, and the water point was free, so we decided to stop and fill the tank. There is a small group of about half a dozen boats there, and while we were filling up a supply boat arrived. This sails up and down the Bridgewater, providing coal, Calor gas and diesel – they have a little pump on the deck.

Workboat near the Old No 3

Soddum Hall

Water point at the Old No 3

When we had finished I took Loulie and the dogs across to the towpath side, and they got off for a walk. As I was slowly following them, the bow thruster suddenly started running, without me operating the controls. It kept running, with a loud howl, and it was forcing the bows to port across the canal. I reversed to bring the stern to the other bank, but we were now right across the canal with the bows up against a moored boat on the other side. I hurried along the side deck to the bows, opened the hatch to the thruster compartment, and turned the isolator switch. Fortunately I knew where this is – it is really for use when you are working on the motor, to isolate it and avoid any risk of shocks, but it came in handy to kill the motor in an emergency. Once I got the boat back in line and on the towpath side I had a look for any obvious faults but I could see nothing, and closing the isolator led to the motor starting up madly once more, so I left it off. The control panel on the poop rail shows that the motor is off, so I suspect now some fault at that end of the circuit.

Walking the dogs

Meeting a Jack Russell

Hesford Marine uses a beached boat as an office

At Oughtrington there is a bizarre collection of canal-side paraphernalia

I collected the girls and we went on into Lymm, where we moored for lunch, which I bought from a local bakery, hot sausage rolls and pies, very nice. After that we sailed on, under bright sunshine and with no wind, a great contrast to the gales and pouring rain we suffered going the other way last week.

At Thelwall we caught up with the supply boat again

Each time we pass Thelwall this cruiser has sunk a little further

We decided that Loulie would take the dogs back to the house up Keckwick Lane, so we could unload at the marina in peace. So I came in to the bank opposite the Daresbury labs, just under the bridge. However I was a little too impatient, and instead of reversing fully into the bank I jumped across the gap with the rope, to pull us in. However, rather like Loulie on the Home Run, my foot landed on a grass overhang, and slipped off. I might have got away with a wet foot if I had let go of the rope and used both hands, but I was determined to hold on and I slipped in entirely. Still holding the rope I swam a few strokes to catch up with the boat, which now stopped, bows to the bank, and then went to the bank and stood up in the water. The Bridgewater, unlike the Shropshire Union, has deep vertical banks, and I was about chest deep, and the towpath was at head height. I had a bit of a struggle to clamber out, because of the weight of water in my clothes and especially my shoes.

I still had the rope in my hand, so I pulled the boat in to the bank, as a large pool of water grew around my feet. Loulie was still on the stern deck with the dogs – she was trying not to laugh, they were wondering why Daddy was allowed to go for a swim while they had to stay dry. We now reverted to Plan A, she took the dogs home while I had a shower in the boat and a complete change of clothes. I then sailed down to the marina, where ironically I made a perfect entrance and moored on the dock with precision. I have been getting more confident with the navigation and manoeuvring during this holiday, and losing the bow thruster is not a problem, certainly when it’s calm. But I need to make the boat do more of the work, and not make up for a sloppy approach by jumping off and using physical force to pull her in.

So our journey to the deep North is over, and it’s been fun, and also an education. I doubt we will go down the Rufford branch until we are ready to cross the Ribble, but we certainly want to do the Liverpool Docks journey – we met several people who had done it and told us it was brilliant. The mooring near Gathurst was excellent, a lovely spot with an Indian takeaway in walking distance. We still need to find somewhere amenable to moor on the Leigh branch, otherwise we have to make the long dash through Manchester and Wigan on a single day. And we have also learned that there’s no diesel in Wigan, and that we should fill up whenever we get the chance.

Today: 5.5 hours. 13.3 miles. 0 locks. 0 bridges.

Voyage: 53.7 hours. 121.7 miles. 30 locks. 26 bridges.

Home stretch

Today was the final race for the line, after eight days and more than 100 miles. In fact it wasn’t really a race, more of a stroll, as this was the easiest day of the journey, with only one lock (and that one having a drop of about 4 inches). We were back in familiar waters too – we have sailed these stretches on most of the hire boat holidays we have taken in the past.

Morning on the Flashes

Safe from the puppy

After leaving the flashes we pottered through the countryside, past a couple of new marinas which has been built in the last couple of years. One of the nicest odours on the canal came next as we reached Roberts Bakery, and then Rudheath and the Old Broken Cross pub, a landmark on the network.

Lostock Works

Just beyond that we sailed right through the Lostock Soda Ash plant, now owned by Tata Chemicals, but part of ICI when I started work in Northwich. Wincham Wharf has a lot of boatbuilding facilities, but under a bridge and you are suddenly winding through the countryside. The Lion Salt Works at Marston is being restored, with a Real Ale festival under way as we passed, and then you pass through Marbury Country Park. Anderton is next, and as we approached a boat unexpectedly popped out of the boat lift, which is clearly back in operation.

Although there are no locks, the top end of the Trent and Mersey is dominated by tunnels. First is Barnton, where you have to creep up to the tunnel mouth until you can see if anyone is coming through. If they are – as was the case for us today – you hurriedly pull yourself over to the side out of the way until the boat pops out, then you go back and have another look.

Passing through this tunnel, which is about 500m long, you emerge into a strange pool before the next tunnel, with trees on one side, and grassy slopes leading up the houses in Barnton on the other. It feels very isolated, with just a few boats moored there, and the waiting points for the tunnels.

Saltersford tunnel is a little shorter, but you cannot see right through so it is controlled on a time basis. Northbound you can only enter between the hour and twenty past. Southbound it is half past to ten to the hour. This means there is a minimum ten minute buffer, which is enough for a boat to clear the tunnel comfortably.

After we had done the tunnel Loulie got off with the dogs for a walk, then we carried on to Dutton and the Preston Brook tunnel. The stop lock is nearly redundant – this year the water levels in the two canals are so close that you can open the gates without operating the sluices. This tunnel is much the longest of the three at nearly 1200m, and it also uses a timed operating system, though this time the window is only ten minutes after the hour or half hour, so there is a twenty minute buffer. Despite its length it is quite possible to see all the way through the tunnel.

Preston Brook Tunnel

Rather than turning up the Runcorn branch to the marina straight away we went up the main line, winded (turned) at Moore then came back to Keckwick Lane, where I dropped off Loulie and the dogs. This is only half a mile from our house, so Loulie could take the car to the marina ready to meet me there and take the luggage home.

Loulie steering

I entered the marina gingerly, and found our pier with Loulie’s help. I had to turn round then manoeuvre carefully in past other moored craft – and then we decided we were on the wrong side of the pier for our nominated berth, so I had to back her out and go in again on the other side. All of this was further hampered by a stiff breeze – Eileen is rather high-sided and the wind affects her significantly – and in the end I was quite happy with my first attempt at marina parking.

Home at last

We packed everything into the car, and it was off home for fish and chips. It has been a great week – although it was forced upon us by the Middlewich breach, I am really glad we had this first shake-down cruise. We have learned a lot about the boat and how to get the best out of her, and we have been getting better at it all week. We have some ideas about changes we will get done over the winter, but we will be spending a lot of time on board before then.

Today: 8.5 hours. 15.9 miles. 1 lock.

Voyage: 68 hours. 116.8 miles. 97 locks.