Day 11 - Tuesday 4th July 2006 At 09:30 a boat passed, and we woke up. It was going very slowly, and so we hoped it was going down the locks. Another passed at 09:45, and we heard another one approach at 10:00, although we were just untying. A lady was walking down the bank with a windlass, so I assume they went down the locks anyway.
At Park Lane the last boat that passed us was moored up. We finally caught the first boat up at the top of the Stockton Brook flight. We helped them down the first lock, and turned it around for ourselves, Julie then went to the next lock to help them through. While we were waiting for the lock to empty a boat moored on the lock moorings in the pound below decided to jump in front. Julie was already on the next lock, with it filling, so when I arrived with the boat I pulled straight passed them, and into the lock mouth. I don't think they realised Julie was working for us, but they didn't look pleased when I went passed! The lady working the locks was OK about it once she knew what was happening though. We had a good run down the locks, only got slightly delayed at the staircase, but by only one boat going down in front of us. We stopped for an ice-cream at Westport Lake, and reached Harecastle at about 15:45 with no boats in sight, and having one pass us coming the other way near the lake I was worried we might have to wait. After taking our details however, we were straight in, along with another boat behind us. The fans were turned on, and before we knew it a fog descended. It cleared in less than a minute though, and the cool air was refreshing. I drove the boat through, while Dad and Julie were inside shivering! We reached the other end, leaving the other boat well behind, making 3.15 mph through the tunnel. We needed some shopping so Julie went to Tescos while we worked through the lock slowly. The other boat arrived at the top of the lock about 2 minutes after we had moored up below the lock, but decided to continue down the canal to the next lock to keep our place, and not hold up the other boat in the process. In the end Julie called us complaining the bags were too heavy, and got Dad to bike back up the towpath to collect them. Further down the Cheshire Locks, or Heartbreak Hill is it's now more commonly known, we caught up to another private boat (several times). There were never enough double locks to overtake them, that was until the middle lock at Lawton. Julie was messing about with the bottom gates on the last lock. I entered the lock just as they had closed the top gate, I closed my gate, and lifted the two bottom paddles. The lady operating their lock said "Are you in a hurry?", I only had time to say "Yes", before having to jump back on to the already descending boat. Julie arrived, and pushed the gates open. We were neck and neck as we left the locks, but I was slowly pulling ahead. The next lock was aligned with their last lock, but Dad had already gone ahead, and got the next locks ready, so I said to the bloke steering - "I think that's our lock, since my Dad has got it ready". He looked over, but said nothing and kept his course. "Looks likes it the first one there then!", I shouted playfully. Nothing said, or done by the other boater, so I opened the throttle (perhaps a little to much in hindsight, but I didn't want to hit them), and pulled in front, and because I was close to the lock I had to enter full tilt (about 4.7 mph), before slamming on the breaks which then pushed water over the already over full lock walls. BTW I didn't touch the sides! They didn't look best part pleased, even though I think they knew what we were trying to do as they tried to get through their last lock quickly as well, running ahead to get it ready. Apparently on a previous lock they had left a paddle up, I'm not sure if it was an attempt to slow us down or not, but it backfired if it was, as Dad spotted it before she had left the lock. Dad said later that he had only lifted one paddle, and if one of them had gone down to that lock, and lifted the second paddle he would have let them have it. Anyway, we reached our goal of Hassel Green, and a meal in 'Lock 57'. The place was empty when we arrived, but another boat just coming up the lock said they were going to eat here as well. We moored between the locks, and after a long while the other boater arrived. They had to moor much further down the canal as all the moorings near the lock had been taken, and there was a fishing match on, which they happily went through to moor up near the next lock up. Service was slow, and the room was boiling hot, even though most of the windows were open. We had a good view of a thunder storm, but it just passed to the side of us. Just in case I returned to the boat to get a brolly. To make up for the bad service, and expensive food, they did do very good deserts. Julie's Chocolate Fondant was excellent (and well recommended). I had the banana mouse, with butterscotch ice-cream, which was nice, but quite light in taste. Afterwards we moved the boat through the next lock, and moored at the top of the Weellock flight to escape the noise of the motorway. It didn't help, but at least we were in a longer pound. --- Mike Askin nb. Kismet http://shoestring.zapto.org/ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Groups gets a make over. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/XISQkA/lOaOAA/yQLSAA/ygtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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