From chrispilgram@compuserve.com Thu May 6 21:04:11 1999 Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 06:10:49 -0400 From: CHRIS PILGRAM Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org To: CANALS Subject: Trip report - Warrington to Llangollen Pt 1 [The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set] [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set] [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly] Friday 12.6.98 Having sent the Chinchillas to their babysitters for two weeks we left Grappenhall early evening for the short trip to Moore. A few pints of Scrumpy in the beer garden of the Red Lion ensured a good nights sleep. Saturday 13.6.98 Awoke to grey skies and set off reasonably early, arriving in perfect time for the 9:30AM Preston Brook tunnel. Actually couldn't wait to get into the tunnel for shelter from the cool and persistent rain. It actually felt warmer in the tunnel than it did outside ! As the rain worsened, the skipper of our companion boat decided that enough was enough and proceeded to do an emergency stop, as I rapidly moored Steal Away anxious to get out of the rain we sustained the first casualty of the day - deck chair in the canal, swept off the roof by the center rope. After another brief bit of warmth in the Saltersford and Barnton tunnels, I began to become paranoid about my alternator - charging very intermittent. Sure enough at Anderton ignition light on - alternator gone. Thanks to Anderton Marina for a rapid replacement, despite it being turn-round day. Into the Stanley Arms for highly recommended home-made Chilli and some more Cider. Later on the weather improved enough for a barbeque. The fat that came out of those cheap sausages, abundant and highly inflammable - who needs lighter fluid. Sunday 15th June Uneventful trip to Middlewich in showery weather. Nice to see that Middlewich was not on fire this time (as it was during our last visit). Cider in Kings Lock, Cheshire Cheese and finally Newton Brewery. Monday 16th June Onto Barbridge stopping at the very pleasant Badger at Church Minsell. Near distaster at Minsull Lock. Chatting away to the skipper of our companion boat, as we wait for his boat to ascend the lock, we are suddenly interrupted by a most unnatural gurgling sound as his exhaust dissappears under the water line ! Managed to close top paddles and open bottom paddles thus avoiding . Alright perhaps he should have been at the front of the lock, but he prefers it at the back when ascending. There was a protruding steel plate on the back gates which had trapped his stern. By the looks of it, this is not the first time this has happened - on closer inspection someone had chalked 'DANGER' on the offending plate. Jolly Tar for the evening session, met an American crew from a hire boat - couldn't understand at first why they kept removing the paintings from the walls. Soon realised they were all for sale. More to follow if anyone is interested. Chris, nb Steal Away.