The rain had been quite constant last night and this morning we noticed a new thing to add to our snagging list for Finesse. Somehow water had got into our chimney and worked it’s way down the double skinned flue to appear from a seam in the wall where there is a small dent. Water had then run down to land on the top of our stove leaving a rusty orange mark which jumped out as. Outside there was no obvious gap where water could get in. So that will be another thing for them to look at when they visit us.

We pushed off and worked our way through Broadheath, Sale and Stretford. The wide deep canal means you can go that bit faster than on most canals. A group of novice rowers was out on the cut so we slowed right down to pass them only giving one pair a slight fright as they hadn’t seen us approaching. Coming the other way though was a long line of boats, did they all know something that we didn’t? Or maybe it was Watch House Cruising Club going out for a cruise. We wondered how much actual rowing was going to be achieved with all these boats going past.

Not normally ones for big shopping centres but today we hoped the Trafford centre and surrounding stores would meet several of our needs.

Firstly EE. My mobile despite having had a factory reset hadn’t improved it’s knowledge of its own charge. The chap in store tried charging it, which we knew was pointless and then said that he’d be able to send it off to be mended as it had a two year warranty. Good and bad news, no forking out for a new phone, but my phone would be returned to the store that sends it off. So I will cope until we get onto the Lancaster Canal, as we will be able to return quite easily for it once it’s mended. With this done we left the palace to consumerism and walked around numerous roundabouts to B&Q for a scaff plank.

Once everything was stowed away we pushed off again heading north once more. Ahead we could see a couple of boats had pulled into the side, as we got closer the reason came into view. Barnton Swing Aqueduct was swung, closing our navigation but opening the Ship Canal. We pulled up alongside the other boats to wait. A Liverpool Ferry had gone through packed with passengers about fifteen minutes earlier and the aqueduct would remain closed to us until it had returned, the rumour was this would be about an hour. We went to have a good look and chatted away with the others who were waiting. NB Sandy B and NB Alice were out on a cruise from Watch House and were the last two out of eleven boats heading to Worsley today.

We’ve been over the aqueduct several times now, but never seen it swung. Always hoped we’d get to see it one day, but didn’t realise how long a wait it would give us. After a phone call to the Bridgewater Canal by the Commodore of the boat club we were told that it was likely to be another hour before we could cross as it is too expensive for them to open and close the aqueduct twice for a few narrowboats. By the time the ferry came zooming back through there was a coal boat and five narrowboats waiting to cross.

The aqueduct, the first and only swing aqueduct in the world is Grade II* listed and is one of the seven wonders of the waterways. Considered a major feat of Victorian civil engineering it was designed by Sir Edward Leader Williams (who was also involved with the Anderton Lift Bridge) and opened to commercial traffic in 1894. It replaced an aqueduct when the Manchester Ship Canal was built, taller boats were to pass along the ship canal. The 330ft long iron trough pivots on a purpose built island. Gates at each end of the trough close to retain 800 tonnes of water as it pivots. Wooden troughs sit below each end catching water that escapes, which isn’t much.

From the same island the Barnton Road Swing Bridge is also operated and pivoted. This however was swung twice, you can’t stop cars for a couple of hours! At around 6pm the ferry came back through and the road bridge was swung back very quickly, except it didn’t seem to lock into position, so it was swung back to have another go, this worked and traffic was soon moving across it again. The chaps operating the bridges moved, one into the tower and one to each end of the aqueduct.

The above is a link to a video of the aqueduct swinging back across the ship canal. I’ve speed it up a bit to 8 times the actual speed. Warning if on limited internet it is around 45MB, the original was nearly 2GB and my arms ached taking it.

The whole operation of the aqueduct took about ten minutes. First swinging back across the ship canal, locking in place (a yellow topped pole drops), levels are equalized. Then the chaps at either end wind handles to move the gates at each end of the trough, they look like the clown winding the credits at the end of Camberwick Green, only a bit faster! They cross the remaining gates that retain the water in the canal and wind them back too. As soon as the way was clear the coal boat was first across, followed by everyone else gradually pealing off from each other.

Once across the water gradually turned more and more orange as we neared Worsley. One boat pulled in near the water point, but we carried onwards round under the M60, past the rest of the Watch House Cruising Club boats who had made themselves at home on the wide towpath. A short distance on we moored up and settled down for the evening after a busy day. It was too late for Tilly to go out, but she had different ideas! Somehow she managed to open up the back door and in a blink of an eye was off the boat and running around like a loon on the towpath. Neither of us know how she did it, maybe she has mastered the bolts on the back doors! I’ve been fooling them for weeks by rattling the bolts. I’ve known how to get out for at least a month and quite often go out for a little jaunt whilst they are tucked up asleep. Closing the doors took more mastering than opening them!

0 locks, 13.1 miles, 8 novice row boats, 2 slow cruisers, 1 nightmare shopping centre, 1 still broken phone, 6ft of plank, 2 boxes (only) of wine, 4 full bags, 3rd in line, 1hr 45 minute wait, 1st wonder of waterways for Oleanna, 11 cruising club boats, 1 bolt lifted, 1 hour of sideways running, 4 trees, 2 bolts twisted from now on!

Lymm to Bollington Underbridge

Waterproofs were needed as soon as we set off today. Drizzle turned into rain pretty quickly. The gusty wind got stronger as we progressed slowly towards Manchester.

Water points and bins are not frequent on the Bridgewater Canal so after we’d passed the two boat yards on our way out from Lymm we pulled in at The Old No3 pub for water. Being exposed on an embankment with the wind blowing Oleanna across the cut meant it was hard to moor up. The bow had been brought into the side, but the wind was forcing it out. A couple of blasts of the bow thruster helped, so then I could get off and get a rope through a ring.

The water pressure was exceedingly poor so we both retired inside to wait for the boom from the tank. Mick later discover a kink in the hose which won’t have been helping matters. It’s a determined kink, determined to stay put no matter now much persuading Mick gave it. Once full it was time to move on. As soon as the ropes were untied there was no holding Oleanna in. So I stayed stood on the bow and slipped the loop of the bow rope off the T stud to then pull it through the ring, by which time we were half way across the cut.

That made our minds up to pull in at Dunham Massey. It was here or carry on to Manchester another three hours away which we really didn’t fancy. Tomorrow we’ll have to make up for two short days.

The wind has been rattling the doors and whistling around us. Tilly has had freedom down in the fields below for most of the afternoon whilst Mick has watched the Tour de France. Later on Tilly and I had a walk along the towpath. She chats as she walks, only occasionally getting distracted and then running to catch up. We only walked 500m, wonder how far she’d follow me? Maybe we’ll walk the towpath towards Manchester and see how far we get tomorrow. Only problem will be other towpath users and the occasional tree!

0 locks, 3.28 miles, 2 cheese twists, 1 full water tank, 1 very strong wind, 1 rendez vous for covers sorted, 2 damp boaters, 1 boat well and truly tied up, 2 tyres deployed, 0.5km cat walk a start, 259 miles walk for Tabitha!

Whatcroft Flash to Breach Site, Dutton

No rain came during the night and so far today we’ve not seen one drop, let alone any thunder and lightening. The sky has been grey all day and the air heavy and still full of moisture, really hope it rains soon.

As we rounded the next bend we could see where everyone had moored last night, the next flash north. It looks like work has started on what will be a marina here, a few piles have been driven in along the far bank and a large pile of them sits waiting. In time here will change, a new marina and crossings of HS2. Although I’m sure that once the new rail line is built and the disruption gone, canal users will just take the bridges as just another one, it’s just a shame that it will be another area with frequent trains. But that’s progress for you.

Yesterday Mick had been bitten on his arm and last night it had swollen up. I drew a line round it so we could see if it had gone down any over night, but this morning the line of course had worn off. So we pootled along to Broken Cross where Mick headed down the road on a bike to a chemists. He was told that he was dong the right thing, allergy tablets and cream. He returned stocked up with some more pills and a stronger batch too, just in case. The insect repellent was being used liberally at the stern today.

Through the chemical works which looked moody with grey skies behind them. We passed NB Earnest, a famous boat that has been to places with The Tuesday Night Club that other boats will never go, like going through the lock on the River Dee in Chester and navigating as far as possible on the Witham Drains. Another long line of moored boats brought us to the Lion Salt Works which are well worth a visit if you ever pass.

Next along the way was the Anderton Boat Lift, working again after a mishap a week or so ago. We ventured down the lift back in 2011 March on NB Winding Down. As we passed today we decided that a return visit was needed to fully explore the Weaver, along with the Llangollen and heading up to Chester and Ellesmere Port, but this will have to wait for another year as we’re booked into Liverpool in ten days time.

Up ahead we had two tunnels, Barnton and Saltersford. I was posted as look out at the bow, as the approach to Barnton Tunnel has some very tight bends, one under a bridge. One way travel only in these tunnels, so I had to check that the way was clear. There is a wiggle in the middle of the tunnel so looking at the right moment is important, we were clear so could proceed. I decided to stay at the bow which confused Tilly somewhat, she spent our passage through shouting out of the bathroom window at us, which echoed along the tunnel.

Being at the bow I could see that Oleanna was still smiling, such a happy boat.

Saltersford Tunnel has timed passages, heading north you can pass through anytime between on the hour to twenty past the hour. We’d just missed our window, so pulled in for a cuppa and counted down the minutes until we could go through. They still needed reminding that I was there ready to go off exploring, so I returned to the bathroom porthole and made my presence known. They just meowed back at me, how rude!

We hoped that we’d be able to moor at the breach site shortly before Preston Brook and luckily there was space for us. No view, but extra mooring rings have been added into the concrete edge since we were last here. There used to be space for four or five boats, now more like ten. The edge is low enough to be able to paint gunnels at too, but that will have to wait until we pass another time.

0 locks, 10.45 miles, 3 packets of pills, 1 arm still in tact, 8 expectant beaks, 0 people at home, 1 Earnest, 2 for the trip boat, 2 tunnels, 2 and 1 mysterons, 40 minute wait, 2 Black Prince boats, 1 mooring without the view, 1 mile to the Bridgewater, 0 rain too play in, 67838956465 rain now I’m inside!

Middlewich to Whatcroft Flash

As we were getting ready to set off we heard NB Halsall approaching. The coal boat had problems over the weekend and now mended was trying too catch up on it’s rounds. So I left Mick to untie Oleanna and headed down to the lock to see if I could help any. There was a chap helping who lived locally who had come to do the same, so I wasn’t needed after all.

A hire boat seemed to not be able to make up it’s mind it was going too and fro on the other side of the bridge hole at the junction. It wasn’t turning in towards Wardle Lock so I hadn’t stolen the lock from them. A chap from a boat behind us went down to see what was happening with them as I dropped Oleanna down. He came back saying that the hire boat were wanting water and to come up the lock, should he wait for them, or were they going to stop trying to do water, no-one knew, not even them! Their attempt to fit a hose onto the water point wasn’t going well with a lady just holding the hose against the tap. I wished the chap behind Good Luck as Mick started to turn Oleanna at the junction back onto the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Another boat was coming through the next bridge and had only just seen Mick waiting for them. They were wanting to head up Wardle Lock, so as the lock was empty and the hire boat didn’t know what it was doing I suggested that they should go up, the chap from the boat behind us also suggest this as he didn’t really want to wait for the indecisive hire boat. Except the hire boat had just made up it’s mind to go for the lock! The photo above is shortly before the third boat entered the equation. Mick has just come out from under the bridge on the right and is turning towards the camera. The hire boat is at the water point just past the bridge, it’s stern is visible. The third boat then came from behind me wanting to turn right under the bridge, but Mick was in it’s way to swing out for the turn and they were in his way to get out of the way, along with the hire boat most probably reversing to try to turn right too. Mick managed to get past everyone and then we ran away, so no idea who got to the lock first, the poor man behind us!

At the three Middlewich Locks there were volunteers on, one for each lock. Considering we have done these locks numerous times, we’ve never done them with lock keepers. I was ready to go ahead and set the next chamber, come back etc, but no need. We’d arrived at a bit of a lull, no-one was coming up, so each chamber was set for us just before Oleanna arrived at it. Three jolly chaps all in radio contact and very efficient. I suggested to them that maybe there should be a volunteer to stand at the junction and act as a traffic warden, but apparently Wardle Lock is in a different area to the Middlewich Locks so that is why there was no volunteer on there.

The other very odd thing was the distinct lack of hire boats below the bottom lock. There was one which was part way through being fitted out, but that was all, every boat was out. We pulled up just after the hire base and filled with water. The pressure wasn’t so good so I had time to walk back through town to Kings Lock chandlers for some International Woodskin for our cratch and front doors as I think they could do with an extra coat or two. Sadly they didn’t have any, but Midland Chandlers at Preston Brook had, so a tin has been put aside for when we pass.

At Big Lock we joined with another boat going down and then stopped at the recycling centre canal side to dispose of rubbish and some engine oil. On we pootled and soon arrived at Bramble Cuttings. Two narrowboats and a day boat were moored up, not enough space for us. But the day boat looked like they were packing up and about to pull away leaving an Oleanna sized gap, which we tucked ourselves into quickly. This is only the second time we’ve managed to get a space here. Off side, picnic benches, and rings,it’s a lovely mooring. Trees, sideways trees, friendly cover, what more could I want. However there were three dogs on this idyllic mooring and the small amount of shade was about to disappear as the sun moved round.

So we moved onwards further north towards the flashes where there would be trees on the port side to shelter us from the heat of the sun. To our surprise there was no-one else moored up, so we picked a good bit of shade and settled down for the rest of the day. Lots to play with here, although the birdies could have sung a bit quieter for my liking. I spent the afternoon giving some attention to the boat hook and pole. They had greyed a bit after three months of sitting outside, so I sanded them back a bit and gave them a first coat of varnish. Quite pleased that I hadn’t left them any longer, just hope there will be a couple of days soon when I can get another two coats on them. As I sanded I could see the weather front coming over the sun went and the wind picked up. We are forecast to have rain and possible thunder storms early in the morning.

5 locks, 4.72 miles, 5 comings and goings, 3 boats all wanting to be under the same bridge, 1 left, 3 lockies, 0 hire boats, 0 woodskin, 1 full water tank, 2nd time at Bramble cuttings, 3 Woofers! 1 flash, 2 more boats, 1 hour sanding, 1st coat, 5 hours of being bedonkers.

Sykes Hollow to Long Lane Bridge, Middlewich

Hardly a cloud in the sky this morning, nice to not be putting waterproofs on again.

We pootled our way along to the Queueing Lock, Minshull Lock, where a boat was coming up. No boats were waiting. We used to pass through here on our shareboat and quite often on a Sunday morning there would be a two hour queue to get through.

Familiar buildings and moorings came thick and fast as this six mile pound was quite often where we’d stop on our first night out on NB Winding Down. Embankments overlooking the Weaver to the east, a couple had moored up and plonked themselves right in front of a great view. The old house that looks like it was once a gate house, the archway for carriages now a glazed entrance. The stables that have been converted into a house retaining the old doors. Then the house with shutters, displaying large window boxes full of colourful flowers.

On the right of us were fields where the grass was being cut for hay. Orderly lines of cuttings were being made rapidly by a farmer zooming around in his tractor. I suspect it was a perfect day for it.

At Stanthorne Lock a boat was just about to come up, so I lent a hand. On board was a couple and it was their first time on a hire boat. The lady said she’d been given differing advice from people on how to work the locks. She’d also had people trying to rush her through, everyone has a first time on a boat and needs to take their time to gain confidence. I suggested that if people were in that much of a rush we tend to just let them go past and do things at our pace.

As I was working Oleanna down I could see the bow of a boat approach, a familiar design of a Carefree Cruising boat. No body came up to the lock, they were too busy tying up on the lock landing. They both appeared to see what was ahead of them at the lock side just as we were leaving. It was NB Otter the newest of the fleet, launched earlier this year, with we suspect the newest of it’s owners. Hopefully they had picked her up this morning and hadn’t taken since Saturday afternoon to get through one lock and a mile. But as we looked back at them taking their time, we did wonder!

We’d hoped that the visitor moorings before Wardle Lock would be in the shade as it was getting really quite hot, but when we arrived there was little shade to be had. It’s a nicer mooring here and closer to Tescos than dropping down to near Big Lock, so we pulled in. This afternoon we’ve stocked up the cupboards and hung washing out. A company has been found in Liverpool to service our life jackets, RCR membership has been renewed, measurements for various bits and bobs have been taken for Finesse and contact has been made with a chap who we hope will make our cratch and pram covers. Someone has asked the powers that be if I need a life jacket too. Well if I do, I want to be able to sit on the roof without a lead and jump on and off as I like. Or the life jacket’s hours will be numbered!

2 locks, 7.4 miles, 0 clouds, 1 hot day, 0 queues, 1st lady Doctor, 2 boxes oatcakes, 1 chicken jointed into 8 pieces for 5 meals, 1104mm by 705mm, 1 tin of woodskin needed, 4 hours in the brambles, 1 garden, 1 noisy woofer, windows 10 being uploaded, will the boat batteries last long enough? 1% charge on phone again!!

Sssshhhhh! to Cholmondeston Winding Hole

Another drizzly start to the day so we took our time to get going. My phone was reset last night and managed to admit that it had a full charge, so far so good. Only thing was it gave me one ! which is what it’s been doing every now and again. But this morning it behaved and the charge dropped in a manor that was expected, so maybe it was fixed. We decided that we would give it a bit more time for it to prove whether it worked or not. So a stop in Nantwich wasn’t needed.

We passed through the two Hack Green Locks passing boats coming up and being followed. Then we pootled onwards to Nantwich. To the West we could make out Mow Cop in the hazy distance. Mow Cop is often in view from the Macc where we’d spent last winter and the last few locks to the summit of the Trent and Mersey.

Under David’s Bridge and the canal skirts round modern housing on it’s way into Nantwich and sits high on an embankment above the town. A lot of boats we’d met recently were after a mooring here and often it is chocka, but today there was space for quite a few. The aqueduct looked splendid with a fairly recent coat of paint. However we didn’t stop until we’d reached Henhull Bridge where we had a bite to eat.

Our cruising for the next couple of weeks will be dictated by our booking into Liverpool and trying to meet up with Finesse to do a few snagging jobs on Oleanna whilst we are relatively close to Sheffield. Last week we put together a list of where we could meet them and get a van close to the boat. The first possible meeting would be tomorrow at Barbridge Junction but as a meeting hasn’t been arranged we decided that we’d be able to carry on a bit further today.

Passing the bottom of Hurleston Locks we could see crews working their way up and down the flight that marks the start of the Llangollen Canal. Originally we thought we’d be heading that way this year, but we stayed longer in London than originally planned so we’ve run out of time.

Day boats now seemed to surround us, weaving their way along the cut. At one bridge we had to go hard astern as one came zooming into view. You could see them bobbing up and down on our stern wave as they came through the bridge hole! At Barbridge we turned right onto the Middlewich Branch, closely followed by another day boat.

Here we now enter old waters familiar to us from our share boat days. NB Winding Down was based in Sandbach on the Trent and Mersey, so the Middlewich Branch was a frequent trip for us. At Cholmondeston Lock a hire boat of Canadians was coming up, two ladies were trying to drop their ground paddles in slow unison. A lady waiting to come up helped with the gates and paddles, although she wanted to wind her paddle up very slowly and after quite a pause. Anyhow we got to the bottom and slowly cruised through Venetian Marina. NB Halsall was moored up on the towpath, it had a gear box failure a couple of days ago and is waiting to be mended, they hope tomorrow. There now seems to be a hire fleet based here and all the pontoons have been replaced, they used to look very unsafe slippy wood, but are now concrete and steel.

Just a short distance to our chosen mooring for the day. Just after Cholmondeston Winding Hole there are benches and barbecue stands where we have moored before. With only one boat there we pulled in alongside one of the benches, leaving enough space behind us for another boat. Tilly has been out climbing the trees and searching for friends. I suspect she’ll be busy for hours.

3 locks, 8.47 miles, 1 straight on, 1 right, 3 day boats, 1 perfect mooring for snagging, 1 sunny day in disguise, 1 phone pretending to be mended, 2 ! ! 1 mooring made for a barbecue, 1 mooring made for cats.

Anchor Bridge to Hawksmore Bridge 72

Last night we enjoyed our pie that we’d bought in Brewood, half the size of a junction pie at Norbury. Then we joined other boaters at The Anchor for a couple of pints of 6X, the only beer they serve. Olive, the landlady was on hand, 83 but certainly doesn’t look it. Last time we managed to drink here she was on holiday and the pub was being looked after by friends or family, at last though we got to meet the legendry lady. Why legendary? She has been landlady for a very long time, at least the forty years that Mikron have been performing at the pub. She pulls your pint of beer with two pulls on the pump and then puts it to one side before topping up your glass from a plastic jug she keeps under the counter.

Everyone else seems to move before we do along here. Boats were coming from both ways as we had our morning tea and breakfast and once again we had to wait for a gap before we could pull out. A mile on and we were on Shebdon Embankment. The views from here must have been fantastic before all the trees grew so high. During WW2 the embankment was closed off at night with stop gates in case it was bombed, this would stop the seventeen mile pound from emptying very quickly. NB Susie Q in front of us had pulled over  and was trying to make her mind up whether to moor up for the day, we said that her chickens would love it there to which she agreed. Mental note made for next time we pass it would be a great place for a barbecue as the towpath is wide and green.

Long lines of moored boats kept us moving slowly onwards to Woodseaves Cutting. About a mile long the cutting has steep sides and is quite often closed due to trees falling across the cut. High Bridge welcomes you into the narrowest section and up ahead we could see a large bird flying between the trees. It wasn’t a heron as it was brown so possibly a bird of prey of some sort. Here you really don’t want to meet anyone coming the other way as passing could well be problematic and the offside paintwork of Oleanna wouldn’t have appreciated it.

Above Tyrley Locks we pulled in for some lunch and could warn a boat waiting to go through the cutting that we were being followed at a distance. After a rest we started down the locks a chap who’d just come up helped with the gates of the first lock. There was quite a strong cross wind, so we got into the rhythm of me going ahead to set the next lock, open it up and then come back to open and close the gates on the lock Mick had started to empty behind. This means that the boat can move straight from one lock to the next with purpose and not get caught by the wind.

The forth lock just needed topping up, so I opened up the paddles and opened the gate ready for Oleanna.  I could see a boat was rising in the bottom lock, so didn’t waste time in heading back to let Mick out of the chamber above. When I returned a lady from the other boat was waiting for us. I chatted to her and then she asked if I knew the flight. ‘No, I’ve only done it once before about seven years ago’. Well I was then reprimanded for not letting them have the lock as the pound below is rocky and you can’t moor in it. She pointed out signs on the bottom gates, saying to set the next lock before leaving this one and not to moor in the pound. I can’t say that there were no signs on the top gates, but I certainly hadn’t seen them. She then went to explain to Mick that her husband would have to stay in the lock and he wouldn’t be able to pull very far over due to the rocks. Have to say we weren’t expecting them to exit the lock and moor up, more to pass in the pound.  I apologised as I was now expecting both of our boats to ground on rocks as they traversed the pound, but this didn’t happen. I apologised to her husband too and he seemed a bit miffed too that he’d had to sit and wait in the lock. I don’t like getting things wrong, I’d not seen any signs, if I had I’d have emptied the lock for them. But I really don’t understand why they were miffed as we set the lock for them and nobody got stuck, they just had to sit and wait a while in the lock. I suspect the signs are more for single handers, or those who pull over to set the next lock ahead as you most probably can’t get off your boat. Oh well.

A short distance now to Market Drayton, which was going to be our destination for the day so that we could easily get a paper in the morning. But it was a bit early to stop so we cruised on through. We were now back onto slightly more familiar water, we’ve been to Market Drayton a few times, one day I’ll tell you all about it. We didn’t remember the pontoon moorings, which looked new on the offside after Betton Mill.

Another three miles of Shropshire countryside all far greener than we’ve seen for a while. At Adderley Locks we decided to carry on down them to try to get a bit more ahead of where we should be. All bar one needed setting and that was only because a boat was coming up. I seemed to impress the chap coming up by pushing the bottom gates open whilst standing on them, I still won’t jump from one gate to the other, my legs aren’t long enough. To close them Mick pushes the off side gate with the boat hook which saves me having to walk round. The by washes can be furious on these locks and push you right over, coming down isn’t as bad as going up as there isn’t so much to hit on your way out of a lock.

Tilly has spent the evening searching for friends in the fields. According to a lady in the pub last night, if we didn’t feed Tilly she would hunt for food rather than find friends to play with, therefore the body count would be less. The downside to this is that I doubt we’d ever see her again as she’d have no reason to come home, cat love is more like cupboard love! I’d still love them, anyway who’d move the outside for me? It can’t be moved with me in it!

10 locks, 12.49 miles, 2 chickens left behind us, 1 long embankment, 1 ever so high High Bridge, 0 on coming boats, 2 narrow to pass, 1 reprimand, 2 inches! 1 building, 0 shells, 4 hours, 36 geeses, 4 noisy drinkers.