Turn and face the direction you just came from!

we did that! As far down the Shroppie as we are going. In a favourite spot between bridges 7 and 8. We finally seem to have the canal to ourselves. Making the most of it. I love the walks here, with Wolverhampton in the distance. We had our first barbiev of 2012 on these moorings..in March! No chance of that today!

We hadn't intended to go beyond Wheaton Aston but t was fairly busy on the moorings there and the weather was hiding so.....

A quiet couple of days here before we start to move back towards Nantwich and some off boat activities for me.

Highlight of the day had to be a kingfisher posing for me.

Share the Space

Lots of this about. Found it hard to walk in some places.

A good day to ....meet a Tweet Buddy

An excellent few days boating. The highlight being meeting my Tweet Buddy, Dawn, at Audlem. Dawn was one of two Tweeters who encouraged me to give up the bottle ...the bottle of hair dye! And we had a positive Tweet frenzy over her wedding! Lunch on our way back for sure. I love this stile at Audlem.

The long section of the Audlem flight was a dream yesterday. No time for pics as 7 of the 11 were against us so I was running around up and back. One hire boat behind us. Nothing coming down. Hardly any wind. Sun out. Happy boaters. About 90 minutes.

I did manage a pic at the top.

Lovely mooring here...well it would be if...it wasn't for the shelf!

We didn't do too badly though!

A couple of days off now then into Market Drayton for Market Day.

Thank you Nantwich..we won't be back tomorrow..unlike.some!

With Alistair's dental work complete and the forecast calling for wet and very windy, we decided on a twilight cruise to take us out of Nantwich.

We were there for 8 nights. Almost a record. Beaten only by our 14 day stay in Windsor when the Thames was non navigable. Does that count?

I've been banging on about how good it is to be able to stay for up to 14 days on VM. I think after that you should clear off and .... what is the phrase I'm looking for? Ah yes, continue to cruise. Not disappear for as little as one night then come back. Nantwich has always been a popular spot with winter moored, of the non paying persuasion...why should I expect this year to be any different. At least no-one HAS paid for a Winter Mooring there! Can you imagine how you would feel if you had? Sitting on pins a good foot off the bank whilst the VMs with rings and dredged are abused.

Back to our cruise. Just a half an hour out. On our own..hoorah! Moored just as the first gusts reached us. Shepherds Pie in t'oven. All good.

I missed a Golden moment

I had a car from the nice Enterprise people for the weekend at the amazing rate of 54 Friday to Monday. It could have been less but I prefer not to crunch gears after 14 years of automatics!  So, with a nice free upgrade to next group up  off I went.

Little did I know...

Our best ever UK boating, now ex boating buddies,  Jack and Jo from GOLDENGIRL. They were on their way back from a holiday cottage in Norfolk to their home in Wales. Had no idea where we were. They stopped to walk the dogs. Parked at Nantwich Marina. Walked over the bridge ..et voila! QISMA.! I missed them by 45 minutes!! Seems they had stopped on their way as well. Jack thought he saw QISMA then. Not so. So amazed to find us there the following week!!   I had to have catch up call over the weekend to make up for it.

We had a winter in Swanley with them in 2011 so they have been much in my thoughts now we are in Nantwich. Particularly when I've passed mine and Jo's favourite tea shop!

In praise of extended VM

Into Nantwich. Alistair has two rounds of dental treatment. An extraction this week, fillings next. The extraction went well...dental wise...though he fainted in the chair. This not completely unexpected as he fainted on the train into Ely last time. LJ and I were ready to provide an escort home.

So, we are taking advantage of the extended VM moorings. What a bonus! Even with the dentist visits one week apart we will be nowhere near 14 days here. The walk into Nantwich is excellent exercise ..though bus route is also handy. 

We had a winter at Swanley so Nantwich is very familiar to us.  Less dangerous than Chester shopping wise! 

Away from fireworks....finally!

 A great cruise up from Chester. We kept thinking we were safe from fireworks but...this critters get everywhere. Nothing too bad but finally, at Hurlstone, we reached a FFZ. Fireworks Free Zone. Not only that but, finally, the junction is quiet.

Loved the sky last night.

Woke this morning to my two Saturday catch up emails with Team NZ and my newly NZ emigrated friend Joan. Both mentioned the rugby. She is quickly settling in.

Winter cruise....official

4 hours today  out of Chester. 8 double locks and a trip to Waitrose and we moored at 1530 within yards of where we were two weekends ago.  Although we have another push tomorrow in our efforts to avoid bonfire night, today was really the last hard work day of 2015. I know we've got the Audlem flight later in the month but...hey....single locks...bring it on!

Sunday saw the start of winter moorings and the much looked forward to 14 day Visitor Moorings. It's a shame that as we went past the first WM the signs we saw that they were completely wrong. They showed the WM wiping out the entire VM. In fact they do not have one inch of VM at that spot. I look forward to seeing how Nantwich has fared. Not this week though.

I don't expect that we will stay for 14 days anywhere but it is nice to have the option of extending a stay beyond 48 hours. I think, amongst CCers it could be the most popular decision CRT have made unless I've forgotten something??

Is there a closer Waitrose mooring?

Alistair made a rare appearance as hero of the day #official when he managed to fish my specs out of the cut. They went in as I was casting off to leave this mooring. Overexcited at the thought of a Waitrose curry....delicious

No photo but an odd comment from a gongoozler who had been watching me work a lock. Chatting away for the full cycle. Including turning it! Just as they were about to leave she came back and said..this may sound odd, but was one of you in the Army? Now where did that come from? She had no idea ...that I had been in the Army or where the question came from. Spooky in a nice way.

Bit of a rant

I make no apology for having a bit of a rant about this letter published in the latest edition of Towpath  Talk. Does the author not make a connection with boats sitting for months, or in some case, years (Bamboo) in Ely  on  limited VMs with the introduction of penalties? Does he know the Council consulted widely before making this decision. 

I know I know, I feel protective about the Fenland Waterways. We cruised happily and more importantly, safely, throughout last winter on the waters above Hermitage.  Yes, on some days, because of strong winds it wouldn't have been safe to move. No different from anywhere else. The EA River Inspectors were pragmatic about this. The Ely waterfront is not in their remit. None of the EA moorings had long term overstayers. Well...except for the Houseboat!

As to the claims of long term moorings being provided by CRT...does he mean free long term moorings or by long term does io he mean 14 days?  Toilets and Shower blocks the length of the system?

Finally, big shock....there aren't as many moorings on rivers as canals. Who knew?

Gongoozling

We stayed an extra night at Ellesmere Port, partly because we hadn't seen enough traffic on the adjacent Ship Canal. Rewarded whilst walking LJ on Friday afternoon. I think Alistair is missing his life on the ocean waves.

Peace, between the M52 and the Manchester Ship Canal

 Sounds grim doesn't it. Not at all! We are moored in the basin at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port.

The apartments from £55k to £130k

We can't see the motorway, just a faint buzz from traffic,if you listen for it. It's actually so peaceful
we decided on a third night. Costs are £6.50 per person the first night. This gives free access to museum. £4 per boat per night after that.

SHOPPING ALERT!

I had, yes had, to go to Cheshire Oaks Outlet Village, yesterday to collect Alistair's birthday present. Not stocked at the outlet shop but they ordered it at 1330 on Monday. There at 1300 yesterday. Cheshire Oaks.....well.....half term.......bought a couple of Christmas presents, two mugs to replace recent breakages and a wok. All on my mental shopping list!


ALERT END

The nighttime view. Followed by pic of the best Cape Bobotie ever. Take away from South African restaurant in the basin. The topping is egg, not cheese. 10/10

The view at

I'll call him Sunny Jim

A sunny and quiet cruise into Chester. At least that is what it seemed like as we st off. Came up to Now or Never at our first lock. New boaters out from Tattenhall. At the second lock, a single hander. Just opened the paddles and about to climb back onboard. I said that we would take over. Which we did. He asked for both gates to be opened. I thought it odd but we were both there. Then he sat and sat and sat. Making no attempt to leave the lock. His engine wasn't even running. Then he threw some rubbish up onto the tow path. The respective male crew arrived. Had he got a problem..no. Dud he want pulling out of the lock...no. Alistair said enough is enough and untied his rope. Engine started and much shouting up that he would 'have' Alistair at the next lock. Al then picked up the rubbish and threw it back down on the roof!! More shouts and threats. Alistair did ask why wait...why not just pull over now! 

So, as you'd expect. There was no rush to help him at the next lock. Respective kettles went on. We benefitted from some custard brioche ...from bakers at Tattenhall...scrummy!  Of course only one paddle opened by Sunny Jim. And so on. 

New boaters on Now or Never. They've now met their first awkward boater...not us!

A boat with no name...let's call him Sunny Jim.

He pulled over before the staircase then came down after us. Now moored. A few minutes ahead.,

Not all bad though.

is this the life you chose....or the life that chose you?

A rare early knock. But we were up. OK,  early for us. Can you spare me a flask of boiling water. Well of course we can! And the kettle is just about to boil. Next question from us....is there anything else you need? A modest list of some sugar, biscuits and as an afterthought....some gaffer tape. No to anything else. Then this gentleman was on his way. Stopping at the picnic tables ahead to have his brekkie.

He had passed us last night in pitch darkness as we took LJ for a final stroll. On our way back, rustling in a copse indicated where he was bedding down for the night. To paraphrase Jason Isbell....do listen to him if you like singer songwriters....'is this the life he chose or the life that chose him'.