THE BIG SUMMER CRUISE--August 4th--10th


Monday, 4th August
Another beautiful day, and the scenery is wonderful.
We carried on to Congleton and moored under some trees to try to keep cool.
Trev walked in to town and fetched so much shopping, his arms are now 3" longer.

Tuesday, 5th August
A friend came to see us today and brought us a present--
his old folding bike, which he no longer requires!
It's not particularly light to lift, and it doesn't fold up in to a very small space,
but it's going to be really useful, I'm sure.
Some times we're moored up in the country, and need milk,
or Trev wants a newspaper, and this should make all the difference.

We walked in to Congleton and enjoyed looking around the shops.
It's quite a rare experience nowadays!
At last I got the security code on my 'phone removed.
It's been there ever since I had the 'phone,
and the shop where I bought it told me that I must have put a code in.
I knew I hadn't, and an assistant in a phone shop
suggested I try 12345, and it worked!

In the evening we set off along the canal again, and tackled the Bosley Flight.
There are twelve locks in it, and they're in delightful countryside,
but it was hot, and I was getting tired, when fate lent a hand.
A couple came by with their dog and offered to help!
Pat went ahead and set the locks and he and his wife opened the gates,
and so we were soon through.
If you read this, Pat & Heather, many thanks.
I was so tired and hot, and you saved my composure!
We moored just below the top lock.



DAWN ON THE MACCLESFIELD CANAL
Wednesday, 6th August
We were drinking a cup of tea this morning and pulling ourselves together,
when a passing boater hooted us to tell us we were adrift.
When we moor using mooring pins, they aren't terribly reliable.
Passing boats rock the boat, especially the ones which don't slow down,
and loosen the pins.
Wherever we can, we use a device which looks a bit like a safety pin,
and clips to the metal piling.This is much more reliable,
but the piling isn't always available.
So, we decided to move on, and went through the last lock
and moored up near a pub called Fool's Nook,
as we were meeting friends from Manchester for lunch.

Thursday, 7th August
We called in at The Macclesfield Canal Centre for diesel.
They offered us a mooring whilst we went in to town.
Macclesfield is a nice town, with good shopping.
Then it was off again and we moored near The Adelphi Mill, at Bollington.
This a beautiful old building which has fortunately been preserved and made in to flats.

Friday, 8th August
Just a little further along the canal there is another old mill,
The Clarence Mill, which has been turned in to small businesses.



We wanted to call in here, as we had been told that there is a firm there
which sells all sorts of rubber flooring.
We needed something to cover the access to the weedhatch on the rear deck.
It seems that there must be a design fault, since whenever it rains,
the water runs in through here,
and lies in the bottom of the engine compartment.
(After some time, we realised there is no design fault--
there is a hole for the water to escape, but it was blocked with leaves.
So, apologies to the boat builder, for even thinking he might have made a mistake!)
They had just the thing, and so now we have that problem sorted!
On the way back, we're going to call in for some "Dri-Deck" material,
which is a rubber material with holes in it
to allow the water to drain through, to put over external areas.
In the evening, we went for a bar snack, and got talking to some boaters.
Almost without exception, boaters are a friendly crowd.

Saturday, 9th August
We went in for a pump out today.
Trev has devised a spread sheet to find out how often we have to have a pump out!
Isn't that exciting!
So, on average, we have a pump out every twelve and a half days,
and it costs about £6 per week.
We travelled on a little way and moored in a lovely shady spot
where the trees were on both sides of the canal.

Sunday, 10th August
Today, it was 100 degrees at Gatwick. It wasn't that hot here, fortunately.
We carried on along the Macclesfield Canal to its junction
at Marple with the Peak Forest Canal.
Here we turned on to the Peak Forest Canal and went the 6.5 miles
to its end at Whaley Bridge, where we turned and made our way back.
The scenery just got better and better, real Peak District country now.
It's pretty narrow and there are some tight bends.
Of course, we had the ace steerer, Trevor, on duty!


ON THE PEAK CANAL

ON THE PEAK CANAL

I hardly ever steer now. It's probably a month since I did.
However, Trev was in need of a comfort stop,
and so asked me to steer whilst he went below.
I shouldn't think I'd been steering more than five seconds
when I bumped the side going through a bridge and lost a fender!
I was SO cross, and Trev must have felt very frustrated
that he couldn't leave me in charge for less than a minute
before I cause damage!
Fortunately, he's very long suffering.........
So, out came the Sea Searcher magnet (have I told you about that?)
and we started to trawl the murky depths.
The Sea Searcher magnet is very powerful and will lift up to 75kg.
We fished for about twenty minutes, luckily no other boats came by.
But we didn't find it, and I was disappointed.
We carried on, moored up about half a mile away and had our dinner.
But I couldn't leave it--I wanted that fender back!
So I told Trev I was going back to look for it.
I don't think he particularly wanted to go,
but he was afraid I'd end up in the canal, so he came too.
We fished in the area for about twenty minutes,
and then decided to give it a go off the bridge.
Still no luck. OK said Trev, one last go, then we're going!
And up it came!!
So I felt I'd salvaged something from the debacle.

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