Part 2 of the Liverpool Link and on board a drowned rat.

Thursday 16th part 2

So to continue on from yesterdays post:- Having taken Sid on board at the bottom of Stanley flight he then admitted he hadn't got a windlass and could he borrow ours. With him the only C&RT bod to get us through Prince's locks we were only too happy to oblige. Then the rain started!!! And boy did it rain. We had coats but not Sid. Tough chap that he is said no doubt he would be dry within 10 minutes if the sun came out. It didn't and a drowned rat came to mind.

Travelling through Salisbury dock turn left at Victoria clock

Heading towards the Central Dock Channel (Sids ditch)

Then we came to the ditch. Those that have already done the link will have seen a sign saying Sids Ditch. Yep it was named after the Sid we had on board! When Sid first saw it after it was built he immediately thought of it as a ditch and the name stuck.

He was enjoying the rain or so he said!

But does look very wet doesn't he! Just see Quiet Women behind with brolly.

Central Dock Channel

Keep to the wall so the buoys to the right.

Buoys to the left here highest part of the bridge.

Prince's lock

It was at Prince's lock that Sid left us. Strict instructions to have head lights on because of the bendy bit half way through the first tunnel. Then through the next two tunnels and moor on the bollards by Mann Island ready for C&RT to arrive and let us descend the lock. A fall of about 6" Here we stayed for about 30 minutes waiting for another two boats to catch up.

Mann Island lock

Turn right leaving the lock into Canning dock and then right into Canning Half tide dock (through the gap)

Finally left into Albert dock (at the very end) and then left into Salthouse dock and onto the pontoon..

S3 other side of the Swan boats.

Having done a machine wash on route (festival buntings) first thing we did after plugging into the free electrics was water up. Ian was just putting the hose away when a clap of thunder gave us a bit of a shock and we had torrential rain, lightening and thunder for a good 15 minutes. Glad we weren't travelling in that! We watched two of the boats arriving, one of which was the wide beam. Both boats had a problem with their mooring. The first narrowboat because a boat was still on their pontoon and the widebeam who couldn't find a gap wide enough. He did find one in the end but when Sid arrived with our windlass he said a bit of shuffling about would be needed tomorrow. Not for us though, as we are on the correct pontoon. Should be interesting to see how they managed it.

Should have known how tangled all the bunting would get...spinning round and round. Took me an hour to sort it all out!

And along Sid's ditch, taken during the rain.

Lapwing

Turnstone.