Sunday 1^st 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