Short hop and some fun and games!

We are pacing ourselves at the moment, as Ali has sadly, got to attend a funeral later in the week. We have therefore made a provisional booking at Anderton Marina, so that those nice people at Enterprise can bring her a car.

So, as we needed a shop stop and I needed to collect a package from the post office, we only travelled the short distance to Middlewich.

Easy you would think!  Only one lock before we moored.  But, this is a busy canal and there be the rub.  I know it is a general groan that people just do not slow for moored boats and here at the moment this is very true. It is generally not the hire boats who are the main culprits however, but privateers!  Second but. Because we are at a hub on the system with many hire bases in close proximity, this canal also sees its share of people getting to grips with handling a boat.

Today we came across one such.  Family on board, she was steering whilst he orchestrated.  Suffice to say she just did not get it and steered directly towards us, just missing our port side, before impacting with the offside bank. I suppose we should have been forewarned by the young lass on the bow, armed with a mop, which she was using to fend off other boats and the bank!   Oh they were having fun!  Perhaps not from the sound of a domestic ongoing as we lost sight of them.  Hope Andersen boats get it back in one piece!

That over we enjoyed this very beautiful canal.  That is until we approached Stanthorne lock.  As we rounded the shallow bend ahead of the lock, we spied a boat completely adrift across the entire width of the canal.  Now boats had passed us and there was one just ahead of us, but did anyone stop and secure this boat?  You guessed it. So Ali jumped off, but the stern of the boat was off the bank, whilst the bow was into the opposite bank.  I managed to nudge it so that Ali could retrieve the stern rope ( with pin attached ) and with the help of a fellow boater travelling towards us, they managed to secure it, sort of!  The bow rope was secured using a piece of Tiller tube as a stake!

We have contacted CRT in order that they can alert the owner to the boats plight.

That done, we recommenced our way, dropped down the lock and are now on the visitor moorings. Shopping and parcel collected and chilling in the sunshine.  But one shower thus far.  An interesting day.

Tonight, as it has been just so long since we eat out (!) we decided to try the Kings Lock!  Now the last time we visited, it was bloody awful.  It's not now.  Great meal, very low prices and well kept ale. So if you are in the area, please give them your support, they deserve it.

We had the company of this kingfisher this morning who was happy to keep his distance, 

hooray for a automatic zoom!

Miles 5

Locks 1