Our very own fly past.

 November 14th,

Wow, opened the curtains and saw nothing! Well, not strictly true as we did see something, shapes really 'cos it was a real pea-souper outside! Thick fog and we were going to set off in this? Well yes that is exactly what we did. 

You see we wanted to watch the Remembrance Sunday service today at the Cenotaph on telly. It was being broadcast from 10.30am and our plan was to ascend the last of the Audlem locks and the 5 of the Adderley locks before it started. So I got underway before 8.30 am and at snails pace, I might add, 'cos I couldn't see a blooming thing! Ian walked on and disappeared into the mist, I put the headlight on and peered ahead to see where the lock was. In fact, it was the sound of Ian winding the paddles that told me how close I was.

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At the top of Hack Green locks was a small kiosk. Inside two fridges and in them an array of goodies including ice cream, pork pies and pasties. We just had to purchase the ice cream cartoons, well Salted Caramel and Honeycomb you would, wouldn't you. Then two pork pies and a pasty joined the hoard. The honesty box was nowhere to be seen so we called the number on the white board and paid by card instead.

 

It was an interesting journey, bridge holes were seen at the last moment so a loud blast from the horn warning that we were nearby and then a boat heading toward us without the headlight on! I only just saw it as it appeared out of the fog and the boat colour was white! I happened to mention as we passed that maybe putting on his light would be beneficial to all!

Into Adderley bottom lock and Ian just about spied a boat going up in front of us. As he was a lone boater so Ian went ahead to give him a hand. I ascended the lock, noticed the awful temporary repair to the board across the lock gate and waited by the top gate for Ian to set the next lock after the chap had left. 

 

Having ascended the second lock I was amazed by the chaps boat! Wow,  A historic boat called Gloucester and with that large funnel, thought it was steam powered. It wasn't,  the engine was a diesel powered Kelvin. He did mention the make of the boat, but wouldn't it be lovely if one had a memory. I just can't remember what he said but he did mention there was another boat like it at Ellesmere Port Waterway museum.

 He then waved me past, said I could go first, what a really lovely man and I found out later from Ian that he is a first response doctor working in London. 

With Ian away helping to see that boater up the flight I took FS to the 5-day mooring. I tried in vain to get FS to the side, a hidden concrete shelve stopped that from happening. I managed to step off, secure FS with a center rope and then waited for Ian to return.

Time was getting on and that program was about to start. Keeping fingers crossed that the tuning of the TV would bring results, Ian arrived back just in time. We decided to secure FS the best we could and move on once the program was finished.

12 30 pm and we moved on, did a mile and stopped just before bridge 66. Then a sound that made both of us look up quickly and overhead were these planes. Shame it was so misty but the shapes was very distinctive

 

 Ian thinks the big one was a Dakota and maybe the one on the left, a WW1 Sopwith Camel and on the right a WW11 Tiger Moth. 

Had a comment from Dave, thank you, who said the large plane is an Avro Anson - there's only two airworthy in the UK, and the smaller biplane on the right is a Bucker Jungman:

 Fishing was again slow just a couple of small roach in two hours of sitting watching the float but then...this Perch and it was all worthwhile.

And this Buzzard seen in the field opposite the mooring,

And going over bridge 66