Yet another pigeon rescue.

But this time with a happy ending. (See 2010 post) This bit of excitement happened after we had moored for the night but first today's cruise.

Well talk about a quick start this morning. Ian was still in bed, I had taken the Woofits out for their early morning constitutional, when I got chatting to a lady standing by a boat Happy Daze. Hubby was with her and they were contemplating setting off. Time was about 7.10 am. I happened to mention that we too were thinking of leaving early when a suggestion was made that we leave together. Seemed the logical thing to do as two boats in the lock is much easier then one. So back to FS and told Ian to get dressed post haste 'cause we were leaving, like right now! So I had just enough time to make a cup of tea before ropes were let loose and away we goes, to the facility block first where Happy Daze was getting a full tank of water. Having emptied both loos we set of for the first lock. Introductions were made and found out their names, Paul and Lindsay.

We had the usual trouble of lack of water in some of the pounds and at one point Happy Daze got stuck. Made a nice change that it wasn't us as per usual.

And another pound where the bottom is to near the top

Quite a list! It was opposite this boat that Lindsay got well and truly stuck.

Don't think this boat is going anywhere fast.

Ian and Lindsay putting the world to rights.

No idea what the obstruction was but wasn't going to try and find out!

We said farewell to Paul and Lindsay at Todmorden as we fancied a trip to Lidl and a walk round the Flea market in the town. We would have stayed but the low water situation meant the bank was to high for the dogs to jump off. Funnily enough the boat Celtic Eagle also happened to be moored. No reply to our hail to Kathy or John so assumed they were out shopping. On our return we had to cross over the guillotine lock and who should be at the bottom of the lock but Celtic Eagle. John saw us first and asked if we would join them, so it was another post haste back to FS, dump the shopping in the galley and pull pins to reach the lock in time for John to open the guillotine gate for us. From there on we shared the locks to lock 24, found a mooring by Happy Daze who had also stopped for the afternoon and once again said farewell to Kathy and John.

Kathy and Ian doing a neat job of going into the locks together.

Now we had heard that a very good fish and chip shop was nearby. It was called Grandma Pollards
and a must visit as you can eat in on a bus. The meal was very good, although I felt a bit more seasoning was needed in the meat pie. It was once back at FS that the pigeon episode took place.

Moored by a railway bridge.and where the pigeon fell into the water!

I had been fishing and not catching a thing when I spied two ladies with a young girl gesturing into the water. Turned out to be a young bird frantically trying to get into the side. I rushed out with my net and managed to scoop it out of the water. One very bedraggled bird but very much alive. It made its way to a hidey hole and when I last looked it was nowhere to be seen.