The day started with breakfast overlooking the flash. Our last day on WD usually involves trying to head to Elton Moss for part way through the afternoon to wash the boat and do the chores and start packing, go out for a meal to then be up early in the morning to pack the car and head for home. Today was going to be a little bit different!
The bow thruster had stopped working in one direction a couple of days ago, we'd reported it to Ken for him to have a look at on Saturday morning back at base. Mick was a bit concerned as he may need it going through the Middlewich locks later on today. He rang RCR (Canal version of the AA) to see if they covered bow thrusters, but they didn't, so he would just have to cope. We headed back towards Middlewich avoiding fallen trees in the cut and dropping most of our rubbish off at the recycling centre. At the water point just below The Big Lock we wanted to top up the water and wash one side of the boat, thus saving winding when we got to Elton Moss. The tow path here is really quite disgusting with dog pooh, so Mick cleared as much as possible and we washed the boat whilst waiting for an Anderson Hire Boat to fill up with water. It was quite pleasantly warm and the hard labour of washing the boat meant that excess layers were stripped. One side done, phew! water was topped up and then we were into the lock which had just been vacated by a hire boat.
Whilst filling Big Lock I had to keep an eye out more than normal for the bow of the boat, occasionally dropping the ground paddles as WD was heading for the top gates with force. After doing the Chester Locks last year, which can be quite forceful, I now raise paddles slower than I used to when filling a broad lock, but this wasn't helping. WD had lost most of her power both in reverse and forwards. So once raised we pulled in and moored up. Mick wondered if it was water in with the diesel so set about checking whilst I went off to Tescos to try and find some high ball glasses as one had broken in the dishwasher a few days earlier.
Middlewich seemed a bit more alive than normal, a nice patisserie and what looked like a refurbished pub that I'd not noticed before, but then we aren't normally in Middlewich mid afternoon, it's usually an evening when we go through. One choice of glasses at the big Tescos and I was back to the boat with Mick having rung RCR about the lack of power. They said they'd ring back. Lunchtime then.
We waited wondering if ringing Ken would have been better, but being RCR members we wouldn't get charged for the call out even if it was just Middlewich. After about an hour of waiting and starting to do chores we had a phone call from an engineer who said he'd be about 45 mins. So chores were started in earnest. I took all the windows out and gave them a good clean. I don't think this had been done for a while as some were almost stuck into the frames, cleaned the stove glass, whilst Mick started to give the oven and grill a good going over. When the chap turned up he checked that the diesel in the tank wasn't too low, phew that was okay! So he then set about changing the fuel filters, both of them. After a trip back to his van this was done and WD was back in working order, all for £8. As he walked away we wondered how much of a Marine Engineers life is spent walking along tow paths!
So we were off again at about 4.45pm, Hooray! Chores put on hold again, Hooray! Back to finishing our holiday. The bottom lock was just being vacated as we approached, so in we went. The second had slightly re-filled. There was a lady who'd only seen Narrowboats on Rosie and Jim so Mick had to explain about locks to her. I popped up to the top lock to open the gates but it was full, so emptied it before Mick was out of the middle lock hoping that that would help with the sharp turn and lack of bow thruster. A walk along to Kings Lock which was also full. The chandlers there actually had space to pull in! But for once we didn't want to stop as the day was getting on. As Micks head appeared above the sides of the lock he noticed the fish and chip shop was open. So we tied up at the lock moorings and he ran across the road. It was just starting to rain so we decided to eat them at the lock, keeping an eye out for boats of course. Not our normal last day evening meal somewhere in Sandbach but the day hadn't been normal.
Then off again, only 40 swans today. Every lock was set against us and one of the bottom paddles on lock 68 was very stiff and kept slipping. Back to Lock 67 (nasty lock!!!) this signals the last bit of holiday returning from the north. We came under bridge 160 to see quite a few boats moored up, but just the right space was left for us to wash the boat. It always seems weird washing a boat in the rain but it needed doing. It did mean that I wouldn't be able to touch up the gunwales on the port side which was a shame. Mick gave the bow thruster another go and it suddenly seemed to work. So what ever it was must have sorted itself. We tried the hookup cable but the power wasn't on so we'd have to save any hoovering for the engine being on in the morning .
Kallista, Festina Lente were there along with several Northwich Boats. Kallista was empty, but Festina Lente had people packing a car and sorting things. We were still going long after they stopped. We were very glad that we'd booked a valet for the morning so that we wouldn't be up til all hours. A glass of beer in our slightly soggy state and the heating put on. After a while there wasn't the familiar sound of knocking that the boiler makes. Mick tried again, and again, but no luck. No hook up, no heat and not wanting to light the clean stove we got the spare douvet from our car and went to bed before it got too chilly.
Smart Gauge at start of day 45! at end of day 96, 9 locks, 9 miles,1 breakdown, 2 fuel filters, 1way bow thruster, 2 way bow thruster, 56 piles of dog doo, 12 Herons, 40 Swans, 2 wet people, 2 fish and chips, 1 cold boat.
No comments:
Post a Comment