We cracked it, on what was Im sure the hottest day of the year. It started out ok I suppose we had to go down the first two locks which under normal circumstances would have been a simple 10 / 15 mins But as the centre had just opened and was full of Gongooslers the lock keeper shouts "There is a boat going down the locks we will give a talk on what is happening jut follow me ) I said to this leader of men "this is Buggerlugs we dont do everything  the proper way we are a bit unconventional, But he just smiled and asked me politely not to ram the gates or sink the boat   as there are children watching. everything was going well Noreen was doing her bit getting the kids to work the gates until the last lock I was given the all clear to leave the lock I tried twice but she wouldnt budge I shouted but nobody was listening as the lecture was just being concluded So I sounded my Claxton, walked along my roof to the sharp end and Yelled  " will someone shift that Bloody tree

  At last we have made it as far as our half was point we are in Ellesmere Port getting any further may be a head ache as we are dealing with three authorities CRT , MSC (Manchester ship Canal) and Cheshire West Council and yes you guest it neither are talking to each other Council is as anywhere you require permission in triplicate signed in duplicate to go for a Shit, MSC dont give a shit and seem to gain great dilight in making you say everything twice by repeating the exact same question and have the "ARE YES BUT " and then you are left with CRT who dont seem to know if their ars in bored, drilled or Countersunk so TOMORROW after my Johnston has given the good news I will contact all the agencies. One thing HMF taught you was how to conquer Bureaucracy and that is to act and appear really stupid and make them feel superior to you its ok as long as you keep repeating to yourself  Well you really stupid person Im getting exactly what I want from you and you hav'nt a clu

 Hi folks  I have just spent 2 hours trying to find the blogg Google in its nonsensical intelligence had decided that my blog should be registered under a different account one I last used in 2002 WHY If it was human I would take it outside and knock ten kinds of s---- out of it however its expensive to buy a new one so I will let it off for now. Well Chester is still as nice as it always was Noreen and I hit the shops yesterday with a final score of Noreen 3 Alan 1 (shoes that is) I knew I was onto a looser but Noreen did buy lunch in Weatherspoons I was quite pleased as I had a large mixed grill then it hit me we have a joint account derrrrrrrrr. Yesterday afternoon we took a lovely stroll along the City Wall very nice and very hot even with a good wind blowing . We also took a walk down to the Staircase lock this is a set of three chambers that run into eah other and can be confusing when you are in the lock you have 40ft of water behind you held back by a few planks of wood see pic

This is what we have to put up with. this willow overhangs the canal you can not see through its just pot luck if anything is coming on Canal River Trust should hand their heads in shame  Our Mooring for tonight not as pretty as some of our mooring but it has its own qualities  This is the cutting through Rock by the side of the City Wall  These are the triple staircase locks we tackle these tomorrow ? The Basin our stop over for tomorrow night not pretty but useful   Hi From a very wet CHESTER  We departed from Waverton this morning it was wet cold and everybody we saw had sad faces, Why! I have no idea maybe they had lost a crucial bet on last nights game as I said dont count your chickens I was disappointed but that's as far as it goes  Anyway, it was only a short trip into Chester 7 locks all of which had very heavy gates so we are both quite knackered BUT  we have completed our first assignment which was Chester and we are moored about 30ft from where we moored 9 years ago. we

Sunday 11 july Today being Sunday is our day of rest though why is it the less you do the more tired you feel ?? We have now traveled as far as a place called Waverton passing through one of my Dads favourite fishing spots Bunbury When dad was the secretary of the Marsland Angling Club we would have two matches a years on there we have some wonderful memories of those trips. Unfortunately there was no moorings thats one problem with lumbering around  in a boat this size you cant just stop anywhere however we are now moored in a village called Waverton that is only a few miles away from Bunbuy the kids came yesterday and we all had a fish Pippa and Zac did well with at least 10 each and some perch any angler would have been proud Pippa can now choose her own maggot and through her fish back Zac however is still thinking about it  The canal is very busy with boat traffic Tomorrow we will be in Chester having hopefully took on some water Noreen should get a day shopping in the beautiful m

 Weds 07/07/21 Our Keith's Birthday Today I wished him HB at 0730 this morning just as we were moving off We you have it to do  don't you.  Great Start today and it got better I never look forward to the four locks in Middlewich as they are the first of the narrow locks are all seem to be at strange angles, However we got through them with no problems others boats were coming our way which always makes things easier in fact we covered all three locks in an hour. The morning was dark and overcast with that ever threatening storm overhead, By 11 am we had made great progress with the storm now starting to break it was time to cut our losses and moor up for the day. Now the wind has started to kick up we would be better off staying for the day as this mooring is out of the wind  Tomorrow we will make Barbridge Junction where we will turn right towards  Chester  God Bless Stay Safe  Mooring for today View of todays Garden Turning at Middlewich Junction  from the Trent & Mersey 

 Sunday 4th of July  today Phil and Steph were joining us for a trip along the River  as today was our last day on the river it culminated in them getting a lift up the great Anderton boat lift. Having had all the thunder and lightening yesterday we  imagined it would be a better day today, How wrong can one person be though it did dawn quite bright and stayed like that to give me time to roll the cratch canopy up and walk up the hill to get them from the car park then the heavens opened and we were soaked before we even set off BUT in true British fashion we ploughed on and the only difference in summer between raining and fine is on you get and the other you dont its called weather and if you are intent on having some fun then do just that, the type of weather should have nothing to do with it. I remember Noreens mum on cub camp, on a rainy day shouting  "socks off and wellies on shorts and t shirts they are easy to dry and you skin is waterproof so get out there and have some f

 Hi everyone  As I said on the last blog we were going as far as we can going west and we had got as far as Dutton lock were we moored over night very nice very quiet, from there we cruised to Sutton Swing bridge where you a short walk about a mile into Frodsham the walk in half a mile up hill then half a miles down hill and of course the same on return. However Frodsham is a very nice and interesting little town not much changed since the last time we walk here about 5 years ago. and today we made the return journey and really there is nothing exciting to say about the journey except water you would no believe the trouble we had getting it. When cruising you have a type of a map it gives all the info you require like places to Moore, Waterpoints, Locks, and Hazards. all of which as a boater you nee to know So water on our beloved map it states yo can put on water at Sutton Bridge WELL you could if a bloody big 1000ton cruiser wasn't moored on the piggin mooring. So round two say y