Pouring down outside

and a bit wet inside also! We have woken up to a bit of water on the floor on some occasions over the last few days. Given the intermittent nature and the amount of rain I thought it may have been a degraded seal between the door opening and the door frame but I quick groping of the water pump revealed the culprit - again. This is the second pump we've had in a little over six years. When it happened before I bought a new pump, always intending to refurbish the old one. Well, it's gonna happen now! This

soon became this

and a quick(ish) Google later the spare parts were on order. I've learned to bite my tongue when it comes to things like this - and the costs involved (£60 in this case). After all, all I've done is swap a domestic water system for a marine one haven't I? Land dwellers have maintenance issues, just different ones to me.

Yesterday I took this picture which Elaine posted on Facebook.

We had passed him earlier in the day and I couldn't help but admire his boat, it was immaculate. I noticed brand new anodes welded next to old ones on the hull so, obviously this wasn't a new boat. Chatting to him later it turns out that he just picked it up the day before after a total repaint. Straight up I asked how much and for what. Total shotblast back to bare metal, blacked, new anodes, four coats of paint plus sign writing and windows reinstalled for £8000. Something we will seriously consider when we next need blacking in four years time. After all, it's only the same as double glazing, or new central heating, or a new kitchen, or new flooring, or a new conservatory, or......

Little Bollington

We left Boothstown on Saturday and made our way to a familiar mooring at Sale, dodging the dead carcasses (deer and fox) floating in the canal between Boothstown and Worsley. Having emptied toilet cassettes and taken on water at Worsley, next stop was Stretford Marine Services for coal and a replacement mooring pin before tying up for the day.
As we passed through Trafford Park the Waxi turned around in front of us.

This is a new water taxi service operating between Castlefield Basin in Manchester and the Trafford Centre, stopping at Gary Neville's Hotel Football and Old Trafford. Hope it isn't too successful or the canal could soon resemble New York City!

We moved from Sale to here early yesterday as the wind was forecast to pick up later in the day and it was amazing to see literally hundreds of people out and about walking, running and rowing. We dodged the rowers and another dead body (badger this time. Shame all the wildlife I'm seeing is dead!) and picked this spot, a new one for us.

After a spot of lunch it was time for walkies. Our first destination was on the other side of the canal

so off we went in search of the next bridge. Soon we were at Ye Olde No 3

then it was onto the Swan With Two Nicks

for a second scoop before heading onwards to regain the towpath and head back home. 

A pleasant two and a half mile stroll, couple of pints, signs of spring in the air and a glorious sunset to finish - that'll do nicely!

Damn you, Doris!

So here's how the last couple of days went. We took a walk back to Vicar's Hall bridge and, sure enough, the closure had been put in place - and how!

At least the fish can get through!

Also, we are obviously accessible by road so these two stayed last night

This morning we awoke to storm Doris so our planned day out was aborted. Instead, we watched a film with the kids, went out for lunch then Elaine and I returned to Lottie - who had made her own way to the opposite towpath! The 8mm welded steel loop had snapped off one of our mooring pins resulting in the following. I can't seem to get the video to run which is just as well given the bad language but many thanks to Dave and the rest of the Boothstown Marina crew for saving the day in my absence!

You can view the two videos on Elaine's Facebook page.

Tough day upwind today!

I took the boat beyond the point of the Bridgewater Canal closure today so that we can cruise the network beyond Leigh to the south for a while. With the biting wind in my face - and gusting very strongly - believe me I was well wrapped up! I was alone on board for this trip (Elaine was busy elsewhere and would bring the car up to Boothstown to meet me) but enjoyed sliding Lottie sideways into the wind nonetheless.
There was only one piece of slight drama and that occurred at Mather Lane bridge where I met an oncoming boat at the bridge hole.

With today's wind strength and direction the mill here can create extremely tricky conditions (this is an old picture from quite a calm day). I knew the oncoming boat would struggle if he didn't power through the bridge so I was waving him through frantically as I slowed down for him. Unfortunately he chose to engage reverse and slow down himself, with the predictable result that the gale force winds around the corner of the mill slammed him into the towpath. Still, that left plenty of room for me to pass by as his three male crew mates jumped ashore to push him out again!

Nothing much of note to report for the rest of the trip other than seeing one of these.

I lifted this picture from the Internet. A quick check of my bird (nerd) book confirmed it was a teal. While I'm lifting pictures we saw one of these flash by us in hot pursuit of a blackbird during a walk in Lilford Woods last week.


Again, my book confirmed it to be a Sparrowhawk, another first for us. Who knows what we will see before the end of May and the canal to Leigh reopens?

Away from the canal

As we have done so often this winter, we yesterday took advantage of the proximity of our car and had a drive out and away from the canal. With the weather set fair we headed for Rivington for a leisurely couple of miles strolling around the reservoirs that (I believe) supply tap water to Merseyside.
Clearly there had been abundant rainfall as the often dry overflows between reservoirs were in full effect.

Yarrow reservoir overflow to Anglezarke

Anglezarke overflow to Rivington reservoir

With such good weather we simply drank in the stunning scenery

before returning to Rivington a Bowling Club for a drink of a different kind. Elaine decided on foreign muck whilst I had a pint from a Sheffield based micro brewery. "People have been bringing it back but it's supposed to be cloudy", explained the bar lady as she served me this.

With me being well aware the trend for hazy beers, plus the vegan movement complaining about fish based finings used to produce clear, sparkling beers I said confidently, "don't worry, I've drunk lots of this stuff." Guess which one of us was glued to the toilet come 7pm?

One of those days

I awoke yesterday "in the mood". Was feeling good, had good weather (if a little chilly) so I determined that we would push all the way from Gathurst to Crankwood in one hit. Nothing was going to get me down!
We started the day as we ended Sunday, that is, following some arse who was leaving paddle gear and gates open on the locks as he left. Did this bother me? No, I just tied up, jumped off the boat and helped Elaine.
At Henhurst services I emptied a toilet cassette to find there was still no running water despite me reporting it two weeks ago. Hey ho, no problem!
As we got to the first of the Poolstock locks some plonker was tied up on the bollards but I brushed off the inconvenience as the lock was full and I steered straight in. As Elaine emptied the lock I noticed water was still entering

It wasn't much but Elaine couldn't completely empty the lock because one of the paddles was padlocked shut. I was trapped and had to ring C&RT for assistance yet still my good mood persisted. Stuck there for some twenty minutes, I shouted up to Elaine, "Ah well, at least it isn't raining!", after which I reclined on the stern deck rail and snapped part of the timber! Just another job to add to the list, I told myself.

At the next lock Elaine (most unlike her) forgot to close the top gates before opening the bottom ones and water ended up boiling into the almost empty lock, almost necessitating a change of underwear. Still, that was all the locks done now so chill out and cruise to Crankwood I told myself.

Then it began to rain. That was OK though, a quickly deployed golf umbrella kept my spirits up. Then it rained harder. Then the umbrella blew inside out and I had to do a quick change on the move to get my Berghaus on. The rain continued and I ended up like this

and, this time, a change of underwear was required!

Eventually we made it to Crankwood and tied up. Only to find a tree blocking our Sky dish so we had to untie and move slightly. By now, my good mood from this morning was a dim and distant memory as I still had to empty the wood burner ash pan in the pouring rain before getting a hot, reviving shower.

With my stuff drying over the fire I was finally set to relax in my PJs when a reoccurrence of chest pains meant getting dressed, putting the soaking wet Berghaus back on, walking half a mile for the car then going to A&E for a good check over, getting back to Lottie at 2 am. As I said, it was one of those days!

A beautiful spot

Having spent twelve days at Burscough it's time to move on. With the Bridgewater closure confirmed for the 13th we will get beyond the bridge in question beforehand and spend the next three months God knows where.
Our friends Wayne and Emma called on us yesterday so we hit The Ship at Lathom for a spot of lunch. Actually, Elaine and I went there on Friday too.....

Pickled selfie in the rain!

We moved the boat down to this little spot

which I'm sure you'll agree is a beauty, just by bridge 35 between Burscough and Newburgh. As you can imagine this is a popular summer spot but, for the moment at least, it's all ours.

We woke this morning to the sun streaming into the boat and a mist rising slowly from the water - there's a definite feeling of spring in the air. Trees in bud

and daffodils pushing through

Bring it on!