May 13

I’ve toured north to Ellesmere Port, which is a really industrial,…port. Duh! You would think I would have clued-in from the name (though in Britain that could refer to anything over the last 2000 years…). In any case, that is the end of the Shropshire Union Canal, and where this canal joins the Mersey River (and the Manchester Ship Canal). I had momentary thoughts about taking the ship canal upstream for about 12km, where I could again join a narrowboat canal. Hmmm. 48h notice, get a certificate of seaworthiness, pay, and then, dodge tankers and container ships. I’d need binoculars to even see the bridge of those things, and they would go over me without even noticing the tiny thump. I passed on that opportunity.

Ellesmere Port has the waterways museum, with lots of old narrowboats- some restored, lots just rotting away in the water, and a few on display. It would have been fascinating, but, after living aboard one for a while, there really isn’t that much new… It was a good visit, though, and worth the effort. I stayed overnight in their basin, but the weather was intermittent (every half hour or so) deluges, so getting out and about was less fun. This was just across the Mersey estuary from Liverpool, and had I not been planning a trip into that area later, I’d have parked the boat and made the effort to tour a bunch more. THis morning, deluge again, with promises of rain all day. I decided to treat myself to a lazy morning, so did plumbing, and worked on the bell fittings. By mid-morning, the weather seemed to be clearing some, and the Port was noisy and not really nice, so I headed back to Chester. I’m moored under the city walls again, in that spectacular place I was on the weekend, and happy to be here. For an old(er) guy, I still get around some…

Thanks to all for your wishes today. I’m off to celebrate with a pint and a meal.