Sad Start to a Glorious Day

This picture of the morning mist was taken at 6.15am!! Yes folks, today was the day that we made an early start1  We moored overnight at Dover Bridge and wanted to get to Manchester in one hit. We did actually go back to bed again, as it was a bit too early, but were up just after 7.00am.  However, there was a problem ...


As I got out of the boat to walk the doggies I was approached by 2 suits who flashed their police badges, and said that we were in a crime scene, so let them (dogs) have a quick piss and get back on board - basically!  Behind the boat were lots of police and fireman.  I got talking to one of the cops - apparently some poor old boy had driven his mobility scooter into the canal.  It was a bit of a bummer to think that this poor chap was dying not far from the stern of our boat and we didn't hear a thing.

 RIP whoever you were.

We got the OK to go after 9.00am.

The weather was just fantastic, I cannot believe the amount of contrails you can see all over the sky

We never used to see them in Sydney because no plane overflies it, they all land or take off.

Once again at the busy Plank Lane Bridge ...

We stopped to fill with water on the other side of the bridge and this chap came cycling past taking his eight dogs for a walk - cute but the trouble being that he cycles ahead and eight dogs shit all over the towpath!

Look how much traffic she held up this time...bad girl!

These old lock gates stand in Pennington Flash Country Park ...

the sign reads 'UNLOCK'

We stopped in Leigh to get some kitty litter plus a few essentials.  There is a huge Tesco there but no stopping spot, so we tied the boat to the fence of Frankie and Bennys restaurant and I jumped over the fence and went shopping.  Elaine stayed aboard and fed a swan.

I came back with 100kg of kitty litter plus a couple of slabs of beer!
Delivered right next to the boat ...

Love it when a plan comes off!

For the rest of the trip Elaine sat on the roof polishing the stainless.  Of course, wherever Elaine is Bombo will be next to her, he is a mummy's boy ...

Nice building in Worsley ...

Today's ducklings ...

We passed this huge queue of traffic at Patricroft and nearly all them of them had a comment or two, as in "wanna swap?", "take it easy", "hard life" etc!

Another Aussie boat ...

As we were approaching the Barton swing bridge aqueduct over the Manchester ship canal, they motioned us through as they were about to swing the bridge to let a ship pass.  Magic!  We stopped the other side and watched the bridge swing and ship pass ...

It's pretty swift as it swings full of water, I couldn't see a drop leaking.

And here she comes ...

It was quite impressive to watch.

On we travelled, spotting our first goslings of the season ...

Just after 17.00 we arrived in Castlefield basin in Manchester.

We moored up in a pretty good spot and were greeted by Ray and Toni from NB Ferndale, so what to do .... go to the pub for a couple of course!

Tonight is the first night where we both feel a bit knackered - must have been the intense Pommie sunshine!