TUESDAY. At Saltersford Lock, River Weaver
The 2008 trip thus far:295 Locks; 464 Miles; 56 Swing\Lift Bridges. Bus pass journeys 20
We had a boaters alarm call today at 6am. The continuous cruisers boat behind us decided to move off. No problem with that, but why do they need to start the engine and leave it idling for 5 mins. before they are ready to move; perhaps it comes down to their inability to consider anyone else.
We had already decided not to moor at Lymm again; the location of the canal high above most of the town allows any noise uninterrupted access to boats. The fish and chip shop near to the canal that had been recommended was not as good as Rose Grove or several in Yorkshire.
We prepared to move off at 6.55am, using our busy moorings technique. Judging by the open curtains, and people moving about on their boats, we were not alone in being woken up. All the ropes are loosed and the engine is started, as soon as the oil pressure has built up, then into gear and move off at tickover. We had cleared the last boat in just under a minute; that is how we like to do it.
The Bridgewater canal is good and deep, a feature which merely heightens the appalling lack of depth on most of the BW canals that we have used. We have been able to get into the bank for mooring AND to get off the boat without a machete and a local, vertically challenged guide.
A pertinent (in my humble opinion) thought for BW, every person that attempts to get off their boat on the south Oxford and disappears in the five feet high grass; is a potential loss of a licence payer. Now then, put that in your blackberry and compute it.
We arrived at Preston Brook Tunnel at 9.40am by my watch and could make out a boat already in the tunnel going our way. We caught up with them at the stop lock, what a lovely bunch they were. Out for the day on a day hire from Preston Brook, we met them again at Saltersford tunnel. There is a new system for boat control here. Southbound from 30 to 50 minutes past; Northbound on the hour until 20 minutes past. Good idea, sadly it shows how boaters are changing; the old system worked for the past 200 years. We followed the day boat into the tunnel, us on tickover. I have never enjoyed a tunnel passage so much; they were laughing and all I could hear was ‘left’, then bang as the boat hit the wall, then a shout of ‘right’ followed by another bang. I am glad that I would not have to follow them after they had been into the pub.
The area around the Anderton Lift was busy as usual; I dropped Myra off to see when we could go down and moored at the only spare space on the visitor moorings after winding. We were booked for the 2.15 lift, to be on the reception moorings at 1.45. We decided to join the day boat crew in the pub opposite the lift for lunch. The barman told us to find a table and someone would be along to take our order. We did; they didn’t. We waited for 15 minutes and decided to have the mushrooms on toast; on board Martlet; the staff did not see us leave.
We were eating our snack when one of the lift staff knocked on the boat. We have had to do an extra lift, could you be ready in a few minutes? We could and we were; we went down and when on the Weaver made for Saltersford lock. As we approached, we could see the figure of Bryn the lockie standing on the lockside. Looking our way, he did a double take and promptly hid behind the control console. We moored on the lock bullnose and went to see him. He was the bearer of bad news. Some boats had been getting stuck in the old Frodsham cut and as a result, BW have placed a barrage across the cut. Thus again, some silly boaters have spoilt it for the rest. That was our favourite mooring and with a bit of care was easily passable by our draught of 2’6”. We stamped our feet and managed to avoid crying in public, mooring instead below the lock.
Weather- hazy sunshine, very humid.
