Wandering Canuck

Tom and Liam have gone on to their next adventures, having spent 5 days aboard. We climbed 36 locks over 3 days, and experienced some wonderful summer sunshine along the way. The views from the Leeds and Liverpool canal are spectacular, highlighting the verdant green nature of England. The urban areas of Wigan and Blackburn are less spectacular, with lots of derelict industrial buildings and lots of detritus in the canal, necessitating lots of trips down the weed hatch, to remove plastic, old coats, fishing line and the occasional laundry basket.

Leeds and Liverpool canal above Wigan

Tom and Liam enjoying the sun…

early morning mist

The mornings have been memorable, as we stayed in the countryside: quiet, with mist forming on the warm canal waters. That quickly burns off, and then the sun is strong enough to burn unprotected areas.

Leafy tunnels and smiling faces

After the boys left, I was moored outside a pub in Blackburn, where Nick had saved me a berth. There was a festival (small, but enthusiastic), with live music at full volume.We moved along…. Now just outside Rishton, where the heavens opened up overnight, and lots of rain. It is clearing off this morning, however, and that is the perfect balance: rain to keep everything green, but overnight, so I don’t have to cruise with the top up or an umbrella in hand!

On the move. Stayed last night alongside the Leigh Branch of Leeds and Liverpool. It was very windy, so we chose a tree-lined section, near a lake, and it was magic. They boys watched the football (soccer) game until the battery was tired, and we all crashed. Found the result this morning. We then moved on to Wigan, and the flight of 2+21 locks up the Wigan hill. A gorgeous day, which more than made up for the flight which had major water problems due to leaky locks. I ran aground- stuck fast on the mud and crap on the bottom of the canal, until the boys went ahead and flushed enough water down to refloat the boat.

We made it to the top, with no major issues other than the lack of water, and are now moored beside a golf course, with a magic view out the other side along the valley we just climbed out of. A great day, with great crew!

I’ve been hacked. Please don’t open any email attachments, unless I specifically state what the attachment is, and you want that attachment. There is a hack that sends ‘discrete’ messages- and as anyone who really knows me, discretion isn’t my strong suit! The hotmail account is closed for a while, and I’m working on the mortimer.ca one. Such fun- NOT!

I’m on the move again. Fannins have rejoined the boat, and we will head towards Wigan, as the Ashton remains closed. Disappointing: I was looking forward to the Cheshire ring, but, Yorkshire will be great. Certainly, the publicity from the Tour de France will heighten the numbers of people visiting this summer. I’m glad I missed those crowds, though the experience would have been interesting. I’m certain that dealing will the crowds and all, for seconds of viewing the cyclists, isn’t an attraction for me. I’m looking forward to being in the country again, with the pace of canal life, and having crew aboard to visit with.

One year on. One year ago today, I set off from Canada on my boating journey. It has been all that I had hoped for, albeit in different ways than I had planned. I’ve spent a significant amount of time (and resources!) refitting the boat, and am very pleased with the results. There are still things to do (and will always be so, I expect…), but the boat is much more comfortable and useable now.

I’ve just had the rear ‘pram’ cover fitted, and although a very different style than I had originally planned for, this folds in 20 sec. so approaching bridges, etc won’t be such a project. We’ll see how things go.

the new pram cover on Wandering Canuck, moored in the New Islington Marina, Manchester.

I had planned to do the Cheshire ring, including the Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals, but someone broke lock 10 on The Ashton, and that prevents the Cheshire ring completely. Might take 2 weeks to repair, but they don’t know for sure… I’ll have to change plans, and… Oh well.

I was able to ring at Manchester Cathedral for the branch practice this morning: all 10 bells. I rang the tenor (27hwt- 1390kg) which was a challenge, but managed.

I’m looking forward to being out of the city and back in the canal pace, though Manchester has been a good visit.

A very laid back week. I had expected some crew, but plans changed, so am touring the city, doing boat stuff, and generally chilling. I leave Manchester tomorrow to get a new pram cover fitted, and to vacate the mooring.

I visited the Museum of Science and Industry MOSI, which was a good time, though I met so many groups of loud, obnoxious school children, I have a renewed happiness in my decision to abandon teaching. The museum was interesting, though a ‘work in progress’ as many exhibits had misplaced signs or information that was just plain missing. Still, some great examples of the cotton industry machinery and some good old engines.

Also went to the Imperial War museum North. Also a good museum, though again the school kids were not as polite as the ones I worked with. Lots of detail material that I was very unfamiliar with.

The whole quay area is part of the Manchester Ship Canal,and (theoretically) still in business.The bridges either lift or swing, though there is no commercial traffic that Icould discern, and pleasure traffic is limited by the bureaucracy in dealing with liability fears of the company- hence very little traffic. The opportunity is there to make this as exciting and involving as Liverpool, but is being missed completely. Too Bad. The moorings are ok, but limited, and there are signs all over preventing use of the nearly double area available for boats to moor, even though this is not the Quays  area, and really just an old canal dock area. There are at least 5 basins right here, all with mooring bollards- but signs forbidding use. A large missed opportunity in my view, especially as the moorings here are all full, and that is why I need to leave…

I’ve spend two days trying to get a folding bike for the boat that fits into the lockers. Seems that the PR brochures are ‘imaginative’ in terms of measuring, and what they say isn’t reflected in the real measurements. I’ll keep trying as i can.

Looking for new adventures nest week as I get Tom and Liam back aboard and we do the Cheshire ring canals.

Canal-side English gardens…

I spent a long day on Tuesday. We made ready to leave Liverpool, gathering in Canning Dock at 0830h to await C&RT people to operate the lock. There were 4 narrowboats and 3 large Dutch barges. We were last in line, so floated around waiting. The water was incredibly clear- so much so that I opened the weed hatch, and took a photo of the prop- I could see the new split pin that was installed underwater back in April!

Out through the various basins, passageways, and former docks, past the old clock tower, and as we made ready to ascend the flight of locks onto the main canal, past the largest brick-built building anywhere. A former Tobacco Warehouse, now derelict, but scheduled for conversion and re-use. That will be amazing. The smaller warehouse opposite has already been converted and is in use.

We then proceeded up the Leeds and Liverpool, back through the swing bridges, past the national racecourse at Aintree (steeplechase-type course, about 6km long), and experienced the nastiest stretch for fouling the prop. I REALLY know how to get the weed hatch open, clear the plastic, wire, carpet, and waterlillies quickly, then get everything put back and underway. We made it all the way to Halsall, where Nick is leaving his boat as he goes back home. His wife is fine, amazingly after flipping the car on the motorway, but there is lots of stuff to deal with. 11h day, and I was tired.

Today much more casual. I helped Nick with a few boat things, got him off to his train, then moved along, very gently, to Appley Bridge. It was  gorgeous; sunny with a few puffy clouds, a following breeze, and one of those idyllic days, that was the perfect counter to the exciting and busy days in Liverpool. Green and pleasant land, this (someone should write a poem about this and set it to music… Oh yeah, they did.)

I hope your day is also as peaceful and invigorating at the same time. Enjoy whatever, where-ever you are: there is beauty all round you if you care to look. I have the luxury of doing so from the canal, and yet, the same is available if you take a moment, anywhere.