--- In [email protected], Terry Streeter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Day 29 - Saturday July 29th - Chester to Barbridge Junction
> 15 miles 4 furlongs, 11 locks, 9 hours 5 minutes
>
> Set off at 8.20am, winding immediately before bridge 123E. Hoole
Lane
> locks were in my favour. Approaching Tarvin lock, I could see a
> fisherman on the bank who obviously had something fairly decent
hooked
> on his roach pole. I held back until he landed it, as I wasn't in
any
> great hurry and didn't want an irate fisherman haranguing me at
the next
> lock. A boat coming the other way spotted what was going on and
stopped
> as well. A few minutes later they managed to land the fish -
something
> weighing about 4lb apparently. I set off again to the lock,
getting
> words of thanks from the fisherman. While ascending Greenfield
lock, I
> spotted a boat coming down the next lock, so left the top gate
open for
> them. Thankfully they also spotted me and left the bottom gate
open for
> me. Cleared the top of Christleton lock at 10.40am, and set off
on the
> 8 mile run to Wharton lock. A boat pulled out and followed me for
a
> while before stopping and tying up on the offside. Through
Wharton lock
> without problem, arriving at Beeston Iron lock in a light shower
of
> rain. Annoyingly the crew of a boat going the other way started
filling
> the lock as I was a couple of hundred yards short of it. I
sheltered
> with the stern of the boat under the bridge while they worked
through
> the lock. The main problem with this lock is the complete lack of
lock
> ladders and a footbridge right over the tail of the lock. I ended
up
> with the bow of the boat between the gates, getting off the back
with
> the long centre rope and a windlass. Up to the footbridge with
the rope
> where I tied a big bulky know in the end and after a few goes
managed to
> swing it enough so that the knotted end went right under the
bridge and
> I could grab it as it swung up. Untie the knot then haul the boat
in
> using the rope. While filling the lock, another boat arrived
behind me,
> so I said I'd wait for them at the Stone lock. I got there,
raised the
> paddles to let out the odd three inchess of water that had leaked
in,
> opened both gates and had my boat in by the time they arrived.
Shared
> this lock and Tilstone lock with them. A crew member from another
boat
> behind offered to shut the gates, so the other boat left in the
> direction of Bunbury while I was still getting the ropes on
board. Not
> a problem, as we would be sharing again at Bunbury I thought. Not
> quite, as one of the Anglo-Welsh boats from Bunbury had set off,
winded
> and was now heading for the staircase in front of both of us.
Whilst
> technically the boat I had been sharing with was in front of me at
this
> point, I feel that morally I was in front. Certainly, if the
situation
> had been reversed, I would have allowed them back in front to
share the
> lock. However they shot into the lock with the hire boat, never
looking
> back or acknowledging that I was behind them. I ended up sharing
with
> the following boat, clearing the top of the staircase at 4.20pm.
The
> boat which had sneaked past me tied up on the visitor moorings
just
> above the staircase, so they were obviously in a hurry! I carried
on to
> Barbridge Junction, going just beyond bridge 100 where it is wide
enough
> to wind a 55ft boat (so I discovered), and tied up just North of
bridge
> 100 at 5.30pm. Had the BBQ lit within 5 minutes of stopping, and
> settled down to a beer while the BBQ got going. A couple of pork
loin
> chops and salad followed by raspberries and cream for supper and
then
> over to the pub for the rest of the evening. Just finished eating
by
> the time it started raining, so quickly retreated to the boat.
Had a
> little rest before going to the pub, only by the time I realised
what
> time it was, it was nearly a quarter to eleven. Oh well, the best
laid
> plans ... Went to bed instead.
>
> Weather - Mainly Cloudy with Light Showers later
> Tomorrow's Forecast - Sunny Intervals
>
> Terry Streeter
> NB Arun - Barbridge Junction
S'pose you will have now passed my place without saying hello !
Or was Sunday a day of rest ?
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com
>
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