Monday 8th September 2008
Location: Higher Poynton, Cheshire, Macclesford Canal
Today: 10 miles, 0 locks. Total distance: 1670 miles. Total locks: 1188
What a wet weekend.
Pulled the pins just after 08:30 and headed down to Bugsworth Basin to take on water and to dump some rubbish.
Stopped off at the junction briefely on the way back so that we could pop to Tesco for the papers and a few odds and ends. The Tesco store is right beside the junction but mooring is a problem as most of the area is given over to long term moorings.
Headed back along the Peak Forest Canal to Marple and re-joined the Macclesfield Canal for our journey back southward.
We came across a trip boat doing a 25 point turn at Marple Junction (a very easy place to turn). We hovered for a while and then the guy at the tiller waved us past. A mile or so down the Macclesfield, the trip boat caught up with us and was sitting right behind us. We were travelling at around 3 MPH as the canal is shallow and we did not want to create a wash as the bank is already badly eroded in places. Also, we slow right down when passing moored boats and as there are quite a few boats moored along this section, that further hindered our progress. The trip boat eventually started blowing his horn and gesturing that he wanted to pass. I pulled in as far as I could (it’s very shallow in most parts) and let him pass. As he was level with me I made the comment that he was travelling too fast for the conditions and that his wash was not doing the banks any good. His response was that he was running to a schedule and had to travel at that speed in order to get to his destination and back to base on time. He also stated that he was a ‘trip boat’ and that all other boats should give way to him. In all the miles we have covered so far, this is the first time we have come across the likes of this. As he was pulling away into the distance, he was making hardly any attempt what so ever to slow down for moored boats.
The weather forecast is for more rain tomorrow – oh joy and bliss !!!
Current Mooring
Plaque at Bugsworth Basin
Peak Forest Canal
Sunken Boat - too much rain maybe ??
Previous Page -- Next page -|- Index page