The day for our return trip across the Ribble but we had to wait until late morning for our meeting with the CRT staff who would see us through the Link. The official time was 11:16 but in fact they arrived and set us off not long after 10:30.
Meanwhile, Andrew walked into town to make another visit to Morrisons for a newspaper and a few more larder items that Christine added to her list since we called at Tesco yesterday.
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| Staircase from below |
On the boat, Mike had one or two things to attend to including checking the prop. Just as well as he removed rather a lot of rubbish, mainly plastic but including a fishing line and metal object embedded in the mass.
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| Ready in top lock |
We were one of the first two to go down - after all, we had moored right above the lock over night.
The staircase has to be negotiated backwards, just as coming up, in order to come around the tight bend in the small basin below.
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| Lock 8 - last before the river |
Five single locks followed and, although we had been told that we might have to wait at the last lock for the CRT staff to arrive, having worked the other two pairs down the staircase, we were soon on our way to the holding pontoon below Blackpool Road Bridge. Christine steered this section and was surprised to discover just how narrow and tight the bends are!
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| Holding Pontoon |
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| Not enough for a narrowboat |
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| Sealock |
It was about an hour and a half wait on the pontoon until the tide was suitable for us to be let through the rotating sea lock - it can only be opened for a short time around the point at which it makes a level. Whilst we waited, Andrew scrambled onto the bank to take a look at the state of the tidal section - he needed the gang plank to get back!
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| Enough water now |
The tide was still coming in, slowly in the remainder of Savick Brook but once we emerged into the main stream of the River Ribble it was still very strong in the middle. The three boats ahead of us set off at a smart speed in tot he centre of the channel but Andrew kept to the side where the flow is much less strong and it was a surprise both to the other boats as well as ourselves that we found ourselves well in the lead!
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| In the lead - just for now |
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| Overtaken! |
This did not last once they realised why we were going faster and they followed suit, quickly passing us once again.
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| Something coming the other way! |
Half way and the tide turned so that we could move more to the centre and make reasonable speed.
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| Asland Lamp |
Once we rounded the Asland Lamp and set off up the River Douglas our speed immediately reduced as we were now punching a strong outward tidal flow.
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| They never did pass us . . . |
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| Approaching Tarleton Lock |
Eventually we arrived at Tarleton Lock which was open and ready for us with the preceding boat having to wait for us.
We were now back on a canal - it is always a slight surprise to feel the difference. At least it means that there are many places to moor! (There is nowhere at all to moor once leaving the basin at the top of the Ribble Link staircase.
A couple of swing bridges added a little diversity although they were both easy to operate. In places still quite narrow with extensive reed growth - coming around one bend we were faced with a family in a canoe, not quite sure whats to do!
We stopped at Spark Bridge services for the usual range - there is quite some distance to the next opportunity as far as we can recall.
Shortly afterwards we found a good bank to come alongside and moor for the night.
27.8 miles - 9 locks
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