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1st Trip to Liverpool day 1 10th May 2013


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20th May out of Liverpool.

Day 12 of our trip into Liverpool.

 

After another peaceful night in Salthouse dock in Liverpool it was time to be leaving.

 

We where due to be at the Mann Island Lock in Canning half tide lock at 09.00. There where six boats going out today, Howard and his mate where first to move, off at about 08.20. I watched them from the road come around into the Mann Island lock landing, realising there was only room for two boats to wait there until the canal and river trust staff arrived at 09.00 to work the lock. “Buttons 3” and “Dolly peg” then left Salthouse dock at about 08.40, and spent 20 odd minutes floating around in the Canning dock. Pete from the nb “Grace” who was going out with us and I waited until we saw the CaRT lads arrive and start locking Howard through. We then slowly made our way through the Albert dock, around to the Mann island lock, arriving just as Buttons No3 and Dolly Peg where leaving the lock, perfect timing.

The weather was dull and cool, but nowhere near as windy as when we came in, so a different journey back along the Liverpool Link canal, taking our time and savouring the views of the three graces and the old docks.

All the lockie’s today where CaRT staff, as they don’t really get many volunteers on a Monday, but it all went as smoothly as the trip in. It was slightly quicker on the way out, maybe because there was a boat less?

We stopped and did the loo’s at Litherland again, and so again ended up last in the convoy that had a quick break at Nertherton Swing bridge, while waiting for the CaRT lads to arrive to work it for us.

 

Again the part of the canal that had the most rubbish in it was the section from Litherland to Old Roan, but thankfully we didn’t get anything caught that stopped us. We did pull the remains of a few plastic bags off the prop later. We moored back at bridge 10 Holmes swing bridge, the rest of the convoy kept going but we had done enough for the day.

 

So was it worth it? Would we go into Liverpool again?

 

Well it was worth it for the experience of being in the iconic city, going through the old north docks before they get redeveloped, and as we do when we are in a city we tend to eat out and drink too much with all the choice’s.

The mooring was a lot quieter than we expected, and the electric and water to all the pontoons was great. You would have to be really unlucky to actually have to buy a card for the electric, there was about 3 kw hours on our’s when we arrived and we used about 1 of them. One thing to be aware of is that the water is only on about every fourth pontoon, so you may need a long hose to get to your tank.

 

The only real downside’s? The trip from Holmes swing bridge into and out of the docks, for us was a long day especially with the wind on the way in, we did as many miles on these days as we would do in a week.

The lack of a free elsan point in the docks was frustrating and the feeling because you have to book your passage that the freedom to come and go wasn’t there, so we don’t think it will be on our cruising plan every year, maybe again in about 5 years.

 

But the best thing of all was the boaters we went in and out with whom where a great group of people, and that’s what makes boating so special, thanks to you all.

 

 

Capt Col moored near Lydiate ,17.00 21st May 2013

 

Well thats it for a while, we're off back to Burscough and area for a few weeks, helping to organise the Burscough Heritage week, and then it's off to play silly beggars with the holiday makers on the Llangollen, with perhaps a trip up the Shroppie. Would it be worth doing another cruise diary?

In the mean time thanks to everyone who read and commetted, and I'll keep our blog updated on our web site, for talk of knitting, photography and the continuing search for north west gansey patterns.

 

Capt Col, nb Emma Maye aka The Wool Boat

Hi there

found your cruise diary really interesting, thank you. We're hoping to do it in August, but on a tight timescale. I've made some notes, especially on safe places to moor.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Not many hearings of Ferry across the Mersey, or much of the Beatles either!

 

There where two DUWKs in and out of the dock yesterday, no 2 and no 8....don't know how many they have?

 

One less now http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-22922039

 

One sank at the end of May and another last week there were 4 at the start but their future is looking a little shaky now

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