Thursday, April 15, 2010

An “inconvenient” truth and unsuccessful chick spotting.

Tomorrow the boat goes into Orchard Marina for bottom blacking and a few other bits and pieces.
So we set off from Anderton this morning to get nearer to be ready for the call that the wet dock is ready for us.
It would have suited us to be able to empty a loo cassette as we passed the services, but once again they are out of action and locked up.

Inconvenient conveniences
BW seem to have a problem with “facilities” this year. There are several sites around the network that are non-functional or have been demolished as part of a redevelopment. These at Anderton are particularly busy, the next full services (not including boatyards) are at Wheelock, 16 miles south, or Preston Brook, 8 miles north. Before anyone corrects me I know that there are services at Northwich Town Bridge, just 1½ miles upriver from the lift, but it’s a lot of messing about up and down the lift just to empty the loo!

It’s been another fine day, the trees in Marbury Wood are just starting to green up.
A far cry from the same view just before Christmas…

Coming past Wincham Wharf, Harral Brokerage has a wonderfully named boat on it’s books.There’s a notice indicating that a deposit has been paid for this boat, I wonder if the new owners will keep the name?

There’s also a restaurant boat further along…
With aspirations to be grander than it is.
We passed Orchard and pushed on another 20 minutes to moor down on the flashes.

On the flashes
There were a couple of boats here when we arrived, and another couple have moored since. It’s a popular spot.
We’ll head back to the marina first thing in the morning.

Although there are plenty of lambs around and swans and ducks on nests, we’ve yet to spot any ducklings or chicks. The bitter winter has maybe pushed the season back a bit.

Locks 0, miles 6

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