Lockdown Pickup Mooring to Lockdown Mooring 6, what used to be Bridge 87
The weekly Geraghty zoom was a full house today. Tilly the human showing us a cat with a flashing light on it’s head, talk of the new DG at the BBC and the disappointing lack of basket weaving happening in Eastbourne. All are well and in good spirits, even if Richards spirits are in very limited supply in Bangaldesh!
Next job returning the hire car. Mick managed the bike ride back from Crewe despite the strong wind that has taken over in the last day. On his return a fisherman was just setting up behind us. Between us and a newish turquoise Aintree boat there must have been about six meters, this fisherman had a slight preference to Oleanna or was it that it was closer to the footpath up from the road where he’d parked his van. None the less he was very close!
Where circumstances make it reasonably practicable to do so, you should treat towpath-side moored boats like your fellow anglers and aim to fish at least 15 metres away from them. In locations with large numbers of moored boats where leaving a 15-metre gap just isn’t reasonably practicable, please be wise and choose the most sensible location, keeping government social distancing guidelines in mind.
Canal and River Trust guidelines.
The lady who’d been fishing near our bow the other day was almost in another county compared to this chap! He set his rod and line to fish in the shade under Oleanna’s stern, the rest for his rod extensions right beside our mooring spikes. When we came to push off he lifted items that were in Mick’s way but said nothing and waited for Mick to step back on the stern before replacing them. What a shame we weren’t going to reverse off our mooring and leaving with the wind actually proved to be quite easy for once.
Maybe we should have said something to him. Maybe a big blast of the prop. Maybe he should have walked another couple of boat lengths away where there was plenty of room. But we decided we’d just leave him to it and mumble under our breath instead.
The wind was blustery and quite strong. Approaching Nantwich Bridge we slowed right down as a boat was coming towards us between moored boats, normally we’d have all been able to pass with ease, but today we decided to back away, leaving plenty of room for all. You could see confusion in their eyes as Oleanna drifted over towards the towpath, that was the side they should pass us on. Mick signalled to pass to our starboard side and we’d stay tucked into the towpath, making the whole manoeuvre far easier.
The water point was busy, we could last a while longer, anyhow we’d be returning this way tomorrow, we were only moving for Tilly’s benefit. The wind swept across the aqueduct, we managed to keep our line and avoided bumping into The Hippie Boat which was set up with all it’s covers. As we crossed to the other side we hit calmer air, sheltered by trees.
Most boats have now changed around here, however there are two on visitor moorings that we knew would still be here. On wards towards Hack Green into the open countryside. Swallows swooped at us, altering their direction at the last second to avoid collision. Some hung on the breeze and inspected out paintwork, yes I know I never got round to finishing the grab rail last year and I need to start all over again!
When last this way we’d spotted a picnic bench close to where Bridge 87 used to be. Here we’d get views to both sides, so we tried pulling in. First attempt and even our newly expanded tyre fenders wouldn’t be wide enough to protect us from the Shropie shelf. A touch further on and it looked more hopeful.
We tied up, let Tilly out to find friends and then Mick spent the next half hour trying to come up with a solution to stop us just bumping into the shelf when ever we moved around! Grrr!! Various fenders were tried and eventually Mick found that adding a rubber pipe fender on a long rope did the trick. the weight of them means they don’t float so could be lowered into a gap between Oleanna and the shelf. Silence returned.
This evening we have eaten our pies. Mine just within the use by date and Mick’s just outside. Hopefully we’ll still be alive tomorrow so I can post again.
0 locks, 3.55 miles, 1 straight on, 0 car, 10 zoom, 8ft at most, 2 Hippies, 1 blowy damp day, 1 roadless mooring, 3 hours, 1 rainbow, 2 pies, 40 potato wedges.