Friday 12^th June 2020

 

We waited until the rain had stopped and Jacob had held his Maths on-line ‘battle’ with his teacher before moving off.

A boat moored overnight ahead of us had trouble. His calorifier had ruptured and filled his engine room bilge, overflowing into the cabin. They had only bought the boat the day before. I helped Trevor bail it out, using our vacuum pump for the last of the water. They now have to call into Kings Lock Chandlery for repairs.

Just as we were about to set off, a boat came around the corner. We let them pass but then discovered they were going even slower than our sedate cruise.

At Park Farm we witnessed a cow calving right beside the canal, actually seeing the calf drop before staggering to its feet and immediately finding the cows teats. A remarkable thing to see from a canal.

After descending Stanthorne Lock, we moored above the River Wheelock Aqueduct at the site of the 2018 breach, just on the outskirts of Middlewich.

Once moored we were quite at a loss of what to do. The towpath was very busy, normally this stretch only gets dog walkers and joggers.

It was strange being back in Middlewich again. In the midst of the lock-down, albeit relaxed, it will not seem the same. As with all towns and cities, they are strange places at the moment with people scared and largely trying to observe social distancing. How long before we return to normal?

 

Weather: mild, overcast with patchy rain.

 

Day Total: 1 lock; 2 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 1.3

Overall Total: 914 locks; 1640 miles; 53 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 17 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 1124.9