SUNDAY. At Plank Lane lift bridge, Leigh
The 2008 journey thus far: 293 Locks; 417Miles; 56 Swing\Lift Bridges
Journeys using bus pass: 20
Amazing! My early morning water boiling episode was completed without the sound of rain on the boat roof. This was good news indeed, as we had the Wigan 21 locks to descend this morning. However, it was by way of luck, as a rainbow was visible over Wigan and a band of rain was just missing us. We had a short, light shower as we approached the outskirts.
At Wigan top lock, a boat was tied up; the crew were busy filling the lock. We made ourselves known, and would share the locks down the flight. The lockie appeared and although we had booked an ‘Assisted’ passage, he knew nothing of it. Neither he, nor us expressed surprise at this outcome. It mattered not; he would set the locks for us anyway.
About five locks down, the pound was empty, we waited in the lock above for it to fill and took the opportunity for a brew all round. We have been down the locks three times during the last six years, each time this pound has been empty. Take heart, the River Tees fish tagging program (£500,000) should not suffer from lack of water.
We had been opening only one gate as we went down; Myra did a couple as she was making the brew when the boats dropped in the lock owing to leakage, rather than pulling the paddles. It was easier for her to bring the boat out and swap when convenient. Nigel on the other boat later said that I might as well go first as we had a bow thruster. ‘We don’t, what made you think that’ I said.
Well, the way that your wife got the boat across in the lock was the reply. I have been unable to do anything with her since. (No change there then)
There was a café along the road by the second lock from the bottom; all the buildings have been demolished where now will we get our reviving bacon butties? We agreed with the other crew that we would share the two remaining locks on the way to Plank Lane after stopping for a shower and lunch.
On passing Scotsman’s flash, the sailing dinghies were moving very fast in the strong, gusting wind; the lasers in particular were planing at speed on spectacular bow waves. For us, there was a cold following wind, making steering a test of concentration. We passed three boats on the move in the opposite direction, two of which turned around, passing us again after we had moored up at Plank Lane.
Weather – Isolated showers, very strong wind, warm sunny spells in the late afternoon.
