Nothing then everything !

We had a quiet night at Market Drayton last night. It was so quiet this morning we overslept and woke naturally at 9am!! We decided to delay our departure and have a walk into Market Drayton and was pleased  to see it looking a bit more profitable. We had a lovely walk around the Norman church there Saint Marys. A nice lunch at a cafe we've used before when back on the boat  I emptied the cassette again so as not to have to take it home full on Wednesday.

The canal was very quiet all morning which has been consistent with our experience on both legs of this trip. 2.30 pm we slipped the ropes and headed for the locks. We met the first boat in the narrows approaching the locks... they held and we passed all fine.  A boat coming down the flight saw us coming and opened the gates of the bottom lock so we had no chance to prepare it by the planned opening the top paddles to divert the flow  - pleased to say despite an increasing flow of the nasty sideways by-wash I nailed the entry not touching the sides which anyone who knows this lock is an achievement ! A chat with the boat descending who were a bit miffed about the clown who lives in the wharf as they had had to go up the locks to wind to get access to the pump out and ended up having to go to Goldstone to wind and pass the Woodseaves cutting twice.

Rachel nailed the second lock despite the boat coming out hovering as the boat going into lock 5 had grounded on the lock landing  - happens a lot I think we've been caught out there also. As we came up lock 4 the boat came out of lock 3 and a couple despite seeing us closed and filled the lock  - never mind it didn't get them anywhere as the delay to boats moving due to the grounded boat meant they just sat on the lock landing not helping the crew descending  - you do see all sorts.

So I think it was 5 boats we passed approaching or on the flight. The reward was nothing in Woodseaves so we were able to enjoy its majesty. We both shared the same thought about how 'easy'  life is and how entitled everyone seems compared to the graft and struggle of the people who cut out such cutting with their bare hands and no doubt were pleased to be employed to do so  - not saying that was right but it seems to have gone the other way.... personal view your view may differ.

We left it to fate for our evening mooring, it was either Goldstone if there were free mooring, if not then Knightton Woods if boats were there it would be home at Shebdon. As it turned out there were only two boats at Goldstone so we bobbed in and booked a table for tonight. Since we moored we have got two more boats.

Ran the genny for 45 mins to charge up the Ecoflow. I had it connected to the 12v in the back cabin while cruising the two hours today and got about 15% thats at 6 amps or about 65w. I have been contacted by Giandel  who want a video of the inverter overloading when not connected which I've sent - hopefully they will come good with a replacement or repair.

Right beer o'clock !

Interesting repairs on the stone at St Mary's in Market Drayton  - something for our cottage maybe 

There are three significant rock slides in the cutting one which has left a massive overhang that I think needs attention as if that comes down it'll be a big old closure 

All dug by manpower !

Our welcome with mum and dad ripping the grass off the edge for the signets 

The best laid plans

We certainly think fate is leading us on a learning lesson right now. We had so many plans for 2024 that almost to a plan have been impacted or cancelled. Many reasons and some have positive outcomes for others so we can't be too upset. In fact for me personally who for 61 years has lived most of those years in the future to have plans adjusted or cancelled is a great lesson. Life right now is telling us appreciate what you have now this day this hour this minute.

Sermon over back to the boat. Due to other commitments alluded to above our Four counties / Chester / Anderton lift / Llangollen trips have been commuted into a return slow time journey to our mooring at Shebdon. So Friday we arrived at Percy mid day and she was already slipped back in all blacked up annode'd and ready to go. We filled with water then did a 180 turn out of the marina to look for a mooring below the Audlem flight of 15 locks. Nothing below the first lock so we started up and stopped after lock 14 to see if there was anything on the visitors between 11  and 12 which there was so we nailed another couple of locks and moored up for the night. Frustratingly loosing a windlass as part of the final lock mooring up process. We consoled ourselves to the fact out loss would be someone else's happiness if they kept the windlass which we have to assume they did ! 

A lazy night then a lazy start the next day. ( Sat 1st June) saw us ascend the rest of the flight turning every lock - why are there so few boats moving ? Part way up we adopted a vlovky who was friendly and efficient and was rewarded with a bottle of Tim Taylors 'Landlord' for which he was pleased to receive.

At the top lock I struggled to get the top gate fully open and expected to be able to just edge out but no Percy got stuck.... a pair of American fellas tried to help and wanted to 'push' Percy back in - they seemed excited to do this ... as they were approaching with Rachel on the back in decent reverse I 'bounced' the gate and freed us thankfully much to the disappointment of our American friends. I then set to clearing the lock recess with our boat hook - basically lots of rotting veg and sticks on the shelf where the lock gate goes into .... opened the gate all was well apart from a some new blacking not being there anymore ! 

We mored at the first mooring on the visitors at the top of the flight at around 1.15 pm two hours after setting off and rewarded ourselves with lunch and ice cream from the cake lady at the top lock.

I took a walk back to the Coop  - just under three mile round trip for supplies later. Below the top lock was a dead eel  - quite massive as long and as thick as my leg... what a canal monster and a shame it is no more. 

Not sure of the gate number but it had some decent holes in it !!

A bit of fishing and I then started to remove the new but seemingly failed Giandel inverter  which just keeps going into overload with no load on it .... trying to get them to support their product is difficult, I'll update if I get some support.

A quiet night ensued as no other boats joined us. 

Today off to do the Adderley flight then moor in or around Market Drayton for the horrible bottom lock of Tyrley on Monday all being well.