Lovely canal but shame there is no maintenance.

 July 25th  

Our first stop this morning was to the facilities, another water fill and cassette emptying before heading off to find M&D. Today friends Bevan and Madeline from NZ were coming to stay for a few days. The meeting point was going to be at The Holly Bush Inn.

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We caught them up at Hazelhurst locks by the Leek Branch junction. They had already descended and stopped between the first and second lock. A slight adjustment to their webasto heater had to be done, Ed had forgotten to check the heating was working properly yesterday and Marilyn had found a problem this morning, A phone call to Ed who immediately came out to rectify the problem. That is good, exceptional after service care for you.

 This part of the Caldon turned out to be very busy, it was the junction of the Leek Branch with boats ascending and descending and coming out from the junction. I wondered if they would try and make the turn to head down to Frogall, that would have been be a very difficult manoeuvre..

 

 

With Marilyn waiting for her guests it was agreed that we would take the lead down the locks and wait for them at the bottom. But then Bevan and Madeline turned up as we were descending and Marilyn decided not to let us pass but take the vacant lock instead. Problem was with FS now exiting the lock and that boat just coming out of the second lock, it was difficult to know which way I should go. In the end I cut straight across his bow toward the landing apologising as I went past. 

 

I yelled at Marilyn that she was causing mayhem, couldn't quite hear the reply but I'm sure the second word was off! A lot of laughter by us and that other boat owner, told him she was a Kiwi so what did one expect (I'm going to get so much stick about that statement!)

To wait for the lock I decided not to hold out but tie to a bollard, I couldn't find one! Covered by tall grass I only just found it! There is no excuse from CRT not to strim on the lock landings, boaters need to see the bollards. This is a shocking state of affairs, are they really looking out for us boaters? These days I think not!

 

Have I mentioned how challenging this canal is? It has many twists and turns and the bridge 'oles seem to get narrower. With the unchecked vegetation growth either side, trying to gauge where the concrete edge is, well it became pure guess work. The lock at Cheddleton had a classic example of why foliage should be cut back.

 

 We thought a brief stop at the Holly bush pub for morning coffee was in order. Only trouble with that...we were too early. So a compromise was made, the table and chairs came out and Marilyn made it for us all  instead.

 

We as lead boat was tasked with finding moorings at the Boat Inn. It didn't look good when we arrived. The channel was so narrow finding a mooring where boats could pass was nie on impossible, that is if you could even get into the side! At last a concrete edge with rings was seen. Only room for two boats and we were dismayed to find one of the moorings taken. But a plan was formed. If we went as far forward as possible into all that undergrowth, leaving us enough concrete with one ring to tie the stern rope too, Waka Huia might just fit between us and that other boat. And with Ian's careful measurement (stepped the length out) when Waka Huia finally arrived she slotted in with inches to spare.

 

The meal tonight was planned so we could all sit outside, Marilyn cooking for Bevan and Madeline and us to finish off the lasagna leftovers from yesterday. We hadn't factored rain into the equation. The meals ended up on each other boats!

Tomorrow we will head for Frogall if the river section has come off red boards. A winding hole is just before the lock down to the river so all is not lost if we have to turn around.

And seen from our mooring

Cheddleton Station and steam loco

And wildlife

Mink