Duck weed

Nine week cruise - day 46 - Tuesday 16th August 2005

Tattenhall to Chester via Ellesmere Port

John got up at 0630 and got the boat under way at 0705. Continuing north we passed lots of moored boats on the offside, meaning we had to crawl along for about a mile. Seemed to take for ever.


I wonder why this paddle leaks


approaching Chester

At 1140 we descended the Northgate Locks in Chester. The bottom gate was very leaky: to get through we had to let more water in from the top lock. These were the locks I always looked out for when travelling by train to and from Salford as a student. They appeared so exciting, hewn out of rock, and here I was at last going through them. Excellent!


rounding the castle

We cracked on towards Ellesmere Port and encountered mases of bright green duck weed covering the whole canal from Bridge 138 northwards. This didn't seem to slow us down too much, but the stern fender stayed green for a long time! To prevent the duck weed entering the basin complex at Ellesmere Port, and creating a hazard for visitors to the Boat Museum, a boom had been placed at a bridge hole. This was removed for us by a BW man and we went through. The hazard was that people might mistake the duck weed for grass, and start to walk on the canal.


approaching Ellesmere Port


a leaky lock


John and gongoozlers


the duck weed boom doesn't seem to have worked


tied up in the basin at Ellesmere Port (ours is the one on the right)

Locking down two narrow locks into the lower basin, we tied up and looked round the museum. It was very good - we needed more time there. But our punishing schedule, imposed by me in order to cover as much of the system as possible in our nine weeks, meant that we had to get going. After a quick look at the Manchester Ship Canal we went back up the locks at 1630, and set off south from Ellesmere Port.

At 2030 we tied up by the water point at Tower Wharf in Chester. When we had filled up we moved forward to clear the water point. Got fish and chips from the local chippie. The end of a really good day's cruising.