We'd arranged to meet Willow's owner at Jalsea Marine, Northwich at five o'clock on Saturday 5th July 2008. We were a bit late, owing to a late getaway from home just before noon (it takes ages to get anywhere from Norwich, almost six hours in this case).
Jalsea Marine is a place seemingly stuck in the 1970s: rather uncared for, and with several down-at-heel caravans and falling apart buildings on site. But it is a huge place, and quiet. Well, it was for the small amount of time we were actually there.
Below is our first sight of Willow, a 40 foot cruiser-stern narrowboat which the owner had spent a couple of years fitting out himself (to a professional standard). The boat was only three years old. The most surprising thing was that the engine had only 11 hours on the clock - eleven hours in three years? And the boat testified to not having left its mooring much: there were no scratches on the paintwork, indeed, the rubbing strake was unmarked. And the carpet had no signs of wet or muddy feet.
After the briefest of tours of the boat, and after quickly establishing that we were considerably more experienced boaters than the owner, we loaded up and then drove to the Penny Black (Wetherspoon's) in town for a meal (very nice Titanic "White Star" ale).
Back on board, after sorting things out, we retired to bed. It then became obvious not only that the owner had never cruised anywhere, he'd never slept on the bed. It was most uncomfortable: lumpy and with springs digging in however we tried to arrange ourselves. Oh well, I expect we'll manage.
The next morning, Sunday 6th July 2008, we slipped the floating pontoon mooring and headed onto the main channel of the River Weaver, directly into the path of a rowing eight. Oops! Collision avoided, we carried on to Hunts Locks where we waited until the keeper opened up for us at 1000.
The bicycle didn't stay on the roof for long: it was much more convenient on the stern deck opposite the Morse control.
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