Lets do the important stuff first. The TV picture last night was OK on 2 channels and fuzzy on 1 other.
Friday 8th June The alarm went off at 5am and we left our mooring at the bottom of the Marple flight just after 6am. It's a grey day and a little cool. The air is still and there is no noise except for the birds going at their songs with great gusto. Over the Marple aqueduct, with lovely views across the valley and then back into the forest. The canal winds through the countryside with some large houses appearing now and then and as we get closer to Manchester proper, some houses that are clearly inhabited by the less fortunate of this country. All is calm, there is nobody about. The Rhododendrons are brilliant. We see not a soul until about 8am when the towpath, which is very well kept, starts to come alive with people, dogs and cyclists. We pass factories and parks, we see herons and squirrels, my, this is good. Eventually we go under the M67 and we are no longer rural we have entered urban. At the end of the canal the channel narrows and dead ahead, our destination, Portland Basin. Unfortunately, the mooring that we had hoped was waiting for us was full. In fact all the moorings were full and 3 of them looked to be taken by 'traveller boats' We reversed back and go into the marina to enquire about mooring overnight. "No problem that will be 5ukp please". We had a pump out while we were there, another 12ukp. Anyway, good mooring and it's only 10am. I visit ASDA, which is a short walk away and the rest of the day has been spend painting and polishing in lovely sunshine. One bit if excitement when a Viking hire boat tried get into the marina and then back out. I have never seen anyone make such a pig's ear of getting round a corner. Hard forward, hard reverse, 'f'' ing and blinding as he went. We tried to help him, but no, he was going to do it using the engine in fast back and forth and not use the tiller to gently come round. When he did get round he was so concerned with giving me black looks, I was fending off our stern, he ran into a wall!. Have been chatting with the locals, as you do, nice people, really helpful and welcoming. Tomorrow, another early start and a long day through Manchester and the Rochdale 9. Think we might sleep well tonight. Oh, and the TV picture, about the same as last night, which is surprising as we are in Granadaland. Regards Andrew & Wendy from The Cut
