Sunday 1st December 2019
White Rabbits for the first of the month, and a White World. Quite a
surprise though, with the canal frozen over. While the ice was only thin, it is
a worry. Usually a body of water will retain heat well into the winter before losing
so much that it will freeze. The only ice we experienced last year, was in
February. With at least another 3months of winter left, it does not bode well.
We did not leave the mooring until after 10am.By this time a few boats
had passed, breaking the ice, and the canal had thawed as much as it was going too.
Cholmondeston Lock had to be treated with great care due to the stone
work being slippery. Just last week a 74-year-old guy had fallen head first
down the stone steps beside the lock and had to be treated in hospital.
At Venetian Marina we fuelled up and bought a bag of coal. We had been
hoping to meet with the fuel boat Halsall and, although it was at Calveley when
we passed through, there was nobody on board. The diesel at Venetian already
has diesel bug treatment added. This has been the first time we have seen this,
usually it is left to the boat owner to add their own. Susan explained they use
the fuel for their hire boats and have a reputation to maintain and so prefer to
add the treatment at source.
With the increased use of biofuels, Diesel Bug is becoming more of a problem,
with diesel in the UK currently containing up to 7% bio. Biodiesel is derived
from organic materials, vegetable oils or animal fats and, by its nature, it is
easier for bugs and bacteria to develop within the fuel. Biodiesel also holds and
attracts water, encouraging the growth of the bacteria at the interface between
the fuel and water within the tank.
The bacteria lead to the formation of gums and resins which can stick
to the sides of fuel tanks and completely block fuel lines, pumps and injectors
leading to greater wear within the engine and causing the engine to stop. Not
only are there long term implications, but it is expensive to eradicate.
To minimise the risk of the bacterial growth, fuel tanks should be kept
topped up, limiting the amount of air space in the tank above the fuel and
water should be regularly drained. It is also advisable to add additive when
fuelling which we always do to the correct mixture.
Once the fuel had been completed and paid for, we chased after Kenny
and Sue, who had gone on ahead. On the sweeping bend at Church Minshull, we saw
a large fox standing beside the field, hedge boundary, staring at us. There
were pheasant nearby so obviously he was stalking these, after his dinner.
We moored just before bridge 22 overlooking Winsford Top Flash,
another ‘pinch-me moment’. Stepping off the boat, I came face to face with a field
mouse standing on his haunches, feeding on something held in his front paws. He
looked at me with something of disdain, before slowly walking into the grass in
no hurry whatsoever.
View from the Mooring across Weaver
Valley, Top Flash and Winsford
Many times, we had walked and cruised past this mooring and said to
ourselves ‘one day’. It is a lovely location with wide views over the River
Weaver Valley with the Top Flash and Winsford itself in the distance. There are
two flashes at Windsford, caused by salt mining subsidence, the top one being the
smallest.
Once darkness started to fall, we watched a beautiful sunset and the
lights gradually being turned on in Winsford.
Weather: very cold and frosty.
Day Total: 2 locks; 6 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges;
0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 2.2
Overall Total: 852 locks; 1466 miles; 53 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 17
Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 927.9
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