We drove up from Cornwall, making a reasonably good start. With a journey expected to take just over five and half hours driving time, we felt that we needed a proper stop midway at Michaelwood where we had a coffee sitting in the fresh air. It was as fresh as you can get that close to a main road as there was quite a strong breeze.
However, there was one delay on the motorway which was being reported on the overhead signs as 1 hour 15 mins. Just for once we opted to go off at the junction and trust to the satnav. Christine had plotted a route from the map but after a while the satnav gave us a cross country route. It was obvious that several others were doing the same thing. At one road junction there were six of us waiting to turn right! Nevertheless, the extra time was very much less that the reported delay. Of course, it might just have been that whatever the problem was had been cleared but we were heartened by the fact that when we re-joined the motorway there was very little traffic coming through.
We finally arrived at Kerridge Dry Dock just after 3pm. Knowing that it might take a little while, Christine immediately went to find John, the proprietor, in order to settle our account and to collect the old propeller. As it was so new he was surprised no only by the damage but also that it was rather difficult to take off. Christine was given a further history lesson, hearing about how the site was once a stone mill but was 'pilfiered' by American servicemen during the war for materials to build a nearby airfield.
Mike, meanwhile, was offloading the car. Our boat was moored outside another boat but the delightful lady on that boat offered to help. She was almost glad of an excuse to take a break: she was sanding down inside her boat as part of a lengthy renovation. She and her partner had been living on board and continuously cruising for a couple of years when there was an electrical fire in the rear cabin and substantially destroyed. They initially decamped to a tiny caravan that is next to the dry dock but it was both cramped, minimal in facilities and also very cold and damp in winter. Fortunately her sister has kindly taken them in but they are looking forward to being able to resume their cruising as soon as the boat is habitable.
In the end, after mulling over various options, we decided to leaver the car here for now - there is a possibility that e might move it mid journey but for now our priority is to get to Middlewich as soon as we can. Whilst driving up we had a call from the person who has been sorting out our Eberspacher heater that gives us both hot water in the taps (when the heat from the engine has run out) and also the radiators. It is not a cheap repair but at least we felt that we were using someone that knew what they were doing. We hope to be there by Tuesday to have it re-fitted.
This meant that we could both take the boat as we set off just after four o'clock. At first it was a warm and pleasant afternoon. A bank of bluebells caught Christine's eye and Mike was intrigued by this odd looking tall flue. It tuned out to be a waste incinerator on an industrial estate at the edge of Macclesfield - actually on the opposite side from how it appears here.
Alas as we neared Macclesfield where we planned to moor for the night, down came heavy rain although it did not last long. When we came through here a couple of weeks ago, the new pontoon moorings were completely empty so it was rather a disappointment that there was no room at all today. We gingerly - with great apprehension - came into the moorings where we damaged the propeller, making sure that we avoid the exact same location (imprinted on our collective memory!) The only problem here is that a long standing issue with one of the people that live close to the mooring (which resulted in the water point being moved a short distance along the canal) has led to signs banning the running of engine whilst moored here. That would not normally be a problem but we are dependent on the engine for hot water. Christine took a look around the corner and felt that it might be possible to move down, away from houses where three boats were moored, probably not just overnight!
The reason for wanting to stop at the pontoons was that they are very close to a Co-op shop. We wanted a couple for items to go in the freezer, which obviously we could not bring with us, but also for a newspaper in the morning. Before making a decision, Mike went to the shop and then checked out the alternative mooring. He also reported that there were some blueberries and possibly other items being put out at a reduced price.
So, Christine suggested that Mike should take the boat down to the other spot whilst she went to forage on the Co-op's discounted shelf. It is not an ideal mooring, a little close to one of the many bridges in the town but as it was getting fairly late it will have to do. In any case, we had a stoppage notice this morning which said that the canal will be closed until next week, just half a mile the 'right' side of Kerridge, so there will not be too much through traffic.
3.0 Miles - 0 Locks
No comments:
Post a Comment