Anderton Boat Lift

Captains Log Still on Plan B of World Cruise.

Canal date 20th April 2012
Start Location  Tent & Mersey Canal
Finish location Anderton Boat Lift
Miles 22                Locks 0

Thursday, Whatcroft Flash (Bridge 180)
While we were moored there, Pam fitted the lagging to the hospital silencer. That was a pig of a job. Access is always very difficult. I am just too fat and old to fit in the engine bay. Just to make it more fun, the lagging is fibreglass bandage and the fibres are an irritant that get just about everywhere. It is now done. (She will get over it eventually. We are getting closer to the boat safety inspection later this year. While working in the engine bay we had several very hard showers some with thunder, some with hail stones like marbles! An interesting day.

Friday- We moved as early as we could, The crack of dawn, well it was before 10.00 anyway! This stretch of canal is very interesting. It is mainly rural but it does go through major industrial areas, mainly salt works and associated chemical works. Then there are very wide parts of the canal where subsidence has caused the land to drop and flood the local pastures. There are referred to as “flashes” They are a haven for wild life.

When we arrived at Anderton the heavens opened and we both were soaked as we moored up! We walked to the visitor centre and had a look round. I sorted out the procedure for passage for tomorrow and then we had a nice cream tea in the cafe. (How grown up is that!) We walked around the site and had a good old chat to one of the BW staff. He was very helpful and most talkative.

The Anderton Boat Lift is a very impressive sight. Victorian engineering at its best!

We are looking forward to using the lift to drop the 50ft down to the River Weaver tomorrow. What can possibly go wrong?