Back to base

On Monday, post-gig, we roused ourselves, and moved the boat around the corner to moorings where the boat could stay for a few days.

I went to check there was space at our planned spot before committing. Was entranced by the sight of Buckden motor and Saturn butty, both historic vessels, breasted up and turning in the winding hole before returning to their Ellesmere base for winter works.

Beautifully done. They would then switch to fore and aft towing.

And here they come 

Once we were moored up again, we picked up a few bits for return home, and headed off back to North Wales. Come Thursday first thing, we were back to Cheshire in 2 cars: leaving one at Nantwich, then going together to Whitchurch: collect the boat and return to Nantwich, then whizz back to Whitchurch to collect the car at that end..

It was a lovely, trouble free cruise, except for the exuberant reed growth encroaching on the channel in quite a few places.

You wouldn't want to meet anyone there!

We overnighted in Wrenbury and set off promptly to beat the rain forecast later.  A hireboat arrived just as we were preparing to unmoor so we were able to scoot through the lift bridge behind them.

The Hurleston locks were interesting.  As we were waiting for the first lock to become free for us, we saw that there would need to be a three boat shuffle in the next, very short, pound. So we, leaving the top lock, going down, would need to wait out to the side instead of going straight into the next lock, because the boat ahead of us had already spent a lock cycle doing the same thing. So I and the boat coming up had to leave our locks, the middle boat had get into the lower lock,  and I took up the waiting position. Clear as mud? The problem is, the locks are very narrow so you can't manoeuvre until you are almost fully out, and the gap between locks is less than 2 boat lengths. Bad enough with 2 boats, never mind 3. 

I then waited out in the pound praying for the wind to stay quiet, and to stay away from any hidden silt, and the water currents, as the locks above and below emptied and filled, to be manageable. Well, it worked, though we were a bit sideways by the end so I got Andrew to hold our front end in place with a rope at the entrance to the lock, enabling me to turn quickly and precisely into the lock. Phew!

At the bottom of the locks there is a sharp turn and a blind bridge.  I sounded the horn but the oncoming boat evidently hadn't heard it so a bit of jousting ensued but no contact as they came to a halt to let me pick up crew and then slide past them 

And finally back onto our mooring.  The final task was to do a u-turn at the end of the marina so we were facing the right way to reverse onto our berth. That's when the wind got up and threw us all over the place. Not an easy task to get into place without crashing any other boats. Though there was a bit of gentle leaning on them!

Then packing up all our bits and pieces and back home. No further voyages planned at the moment but a wishlist should time, weather, and winter works all permit!

All a bit fraught so no photos!