Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Through the crunchy stuff to Nantwich.

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. All these cold nights we’ve been having finally dropped the water temperature enough to leave us with a coating of ice on the canal. We encountered areas of thin, slushy stuff a few days ago, but this was the genuine article.

A boat had moored ahead of us last evening, and as I was making preparations to leave, so were they. Mine got slower… might as well let them go first, eh?

Off we go, following the gap cut by NB Elusive IMG_3071
It was not to last. They pulled in just past Bridge 84, only a few hundred yards on. As we passed he said it was too thick, he didn’t want to take his blacking off. If he’s out all winter he’d better get used to it…

It was getting thicker, though. Only a couple of millimetres thick when we left, it was maybe 6 or 7 up to Bridge 85.IMG_3074

The ice thinned again at Hack Green Locks, and we met another boat below, so it was well broken down to Nantwich.

Hack Green Locks
IMG_3075

It’s sometimes difficult taking pictures at this time of year. The sun is too low behind, looking ahead you can’t avoid your own shadow.
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Instead of moving onto the embankment above Nantwich and the moorings there, we pulled in just before Bridge 91. The day had brightened considerably after a dull start, and this is a sunny spot, unlike the tree-shaded moorings further on.


We had some stale bread and there were some optimistic looking moorhens hovering about, so I threw some onto the ice alongside.

This one had trouble keeping his balance!IMG_3078

He cleared off when a mallard and a group of rowdy gulls joined the party…IMG_3079
“Get out of it, that bit’s mine!”

I’ve got a bit of shopping to do before we leave in the morning, but, all being well, we’ll be moored on the “Welsh Canal” this time tomorrow.

Locks 2, miles 3½

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