Moore, Bridgewater – Friday 17 August 2012
Yesterday I did not report as my daughter visited and we did the tourist ‘Anderton Lift’ thing, taking the trip on the lift then the river cruise.  It was very interesting and I had been chatting to a group who had two wheelchairs and offered to give one a push onto the boat thinking that would be all.  We got to go on first, and then when the trip was finished and we were supposed to get out at the bottom of the lift (the charge is for a one-way trip) the crew allowed us to travel back up in the lift because of the chairs.  We then took Jess (who had remained in Ice Breaker) on a long walk and then went off to ‘The Spinner & Bergamot Inn’ for a meal.  The bad weather that had been forecast did not materialise, glorious sun all day.

Today I started at 09:00 and had a quiet run to the village of Moore; there were three tunnels, all only wide enough for one boat and having time restrictions.  You can go north between the hour and twenty past for Barnton and Saltersford tunnels; and the hour and ten past for Preston Brook tunnel (times depend on the length of the journey through as the southbound boats start on the half hour).  Just before the Preston Brook tunnel you come to Dutton Stop Lock with a drop of about 9 inches, after the tunnel you are on the Bridgewater which is owned by the Manchester Ship Canal Company.  BW (now CRT) Licenced canal boats can cruise on this for seven days without charge.  Where I have moored there is a canal boat with a red warning notice on it as they have stayed beyond the seven days, I’ll have to see how efficient their check-ups are as I travel.  It started raining as I was mooring, having been dry and sunny until then.

This week I have travelled on the Shropshire Union Canal, Middlewich Branch, Trent & Mersey Canal and now the Bridgewater Canal.  All have been fascinating in their own different ways.

Just after mooring a boat went past with two adults on board allowing three children to sit on the counter (the bit where the steerer stands) with their feet in the water!  They can only be inches away from the spinning propeller; I hope no emergencies cause the steerer to do any sudden moves.