Monday 7th May

Monday 7th May 2012

We woke not too early, not too late and set about the breakfast that we'd promised ourselves, very nice it was too.
Even though we'd given up on the fire last night and closed all the vents it had decided to light itself overnight!

It took a little while to be able to pull out as it seemed like the Lymm club were heading home. It was quite windy and occasionally rainy. But not enough to pull over to keep dry. We tried to pull in near Little Bollington to fill up with water but the wind was just keeping us off the side, so we deceided to press on to Castlefield where we hoped we'd be able to fill up.
It gradually got wetter, which I avoided having to tidy up before our crew would arrive this afternoon! But then it started to brighten up strangely enough just after I'd finished tidying.

At Sale Cruising Club we passed people stood on a small raft with railings, as soon as we passed a chap punted it across the canal and they all stepped off, then it was pulled back by rope to the off side. Very ingenious.
As we approached Sale on the long straight there were two narrowboats following us, we weren't sure if they were wanting to go faster so we waved them on. The first one passing, the second holding back. This seems to be the overtaking trip.
Around Stretford we came across a chap who looked from a distance to be fishing with a net. As we got closer it seemed that he was dragging a long piece of blue webbing in the canal. Just passed him were various objects on the tow path all black against the cinder track almost equally spaced, it could have been an art installation, But no he was just dragging the canal for any scrap that he could possibly sell.

Turned right in towards Manchester, past the Euro Terminal and Old Trafford bringing us into Castlefield Junction. The last time we were here was four years ago and we managed to get the last mooring, But this time there was plenty of space, We moored up, checked when our crew would be arriving (they'd jumped off the train from Scarborough at Stalybridge Station to sample the beer) and went for a wonder up the Rockdale 9. Much less water than when we'd done them four years ago, but most were still flowing over the top gates.

Our crew arrived followedby us as they tried to work out the map I'd given them last week.
A cuppa on board and then the hunt for somewhere not too dear to eat. We deceided on Wagamamas which was very nice. Then wondered off to find a suitable pub. The first one was very much closed, but then with advice from a friend of Franks we found The Knott. A very nice real ale pub in the arches just by Deansgate Station. It looks like they do nice food too, if only we'd known. We all ended up drinking local beer to us from Yorkshire as there was nothing local to Manchester. A very nice pub, obviously know by many including Mike Harding, we'll be going there again.
Back to the boat in the now pouring down rain to try to remember how both beds make up. Sofa easy, but the dinette, I always end up with too many bits left over!


Smart gauge at start of day 58, end of cruising day 100, 0 locks, 13.5 miles, 1 heron, 1 overtakeing