Tuesday 20 September 2011

Hire boaters?or Regular boaters?

As planned we spent the weekend at Wheelock. On Sunday we went for a walk along a dissused railway track. On Monday morning fully rested we Moved on to Middlewich it was a warm sunny day but still windy. We did the six mile and five locks, arriving at the left turn onto the Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch at two pm. After completing the turn and rising up Wardle lock we moored and had a late lunch. Staying at Middlewich till Wednesday we then carried on to the mooring at Church Minshull. At this point I discovered that my Vodaphone signal was none existent, which is why this post is my first since the tenth. Right where was I, yes we stayed at Church Minshull until Thursday evening, when after a walk through the village and back over the fields to rejoin the canal at bridge eleven then back to the boat at bridge fourteen we moved the short distance to moor near Aquaduct Marina. Leaving the mooring we came to the first of two locks that day. As we approached the lock gates opened for a boat to leave the lock, as we were very close we expected them to stay open for us to enter. We then witnessed the people closing the gates, I blew the horn but they ran to the other end and proceeded to refill the lock. It was quite clear that they had seen us but had no intension of waiting. When I challenged them about it they mumbled an unconvincing excuse. At the second lock that day the very opposite happened. Although the view from the lock was obstructed by a bridge the people checked before refilling the lock and waited for us to enter the lock. That is I suppose the difference between hire boaters and regular boaters. The first group were just on a booze cruise. At Barbridge Junction we turned right heading for Chester, however we were only going to the service point then turning round just above the Bunbury locks. This done we moored at Calveley. As I needed to buy my lottery ticket for the weekend I walked the mile into Bunbury village while Marlene did some baking. Bunbury village is in two parts and I had to ask where the shop was as it was in the far side of the village. We spent the weekend at Calveley and on Saturday we both walked into Bunbury for a drink and a sandwich at the Dysart Inn. Yesterday morning we went back through Barbridge Junction, mooring for lunch at Hurleston Junction( where the Llangollen Canal goes off)and took a walk round Hurls-ton Reservoir. Later in the afternoon we moved on to Nantwich where we are now moored for the night. This morning we walked into Nantwich in the rain for some shopping. We have decided to stay another night before moving on.

3 comments:

  1. Why the attack on the hire boat crews, as a boat owner I have seen worse behaviour from some of the arrogant private owners. My idea of boating is a relaxing pastime or way of life, hire boat crews sometimes have a gruelling schedule to keep. What is a half hour delay

    bwp

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  2. Hello
    It seems a shame that so many derogatory comments are made from private boat owners against the hire boat crews, as a boat owner I have seen more incidents of poor behaviour from some arrogant boat owners that should know better. Often poor behaviour from the hire crews is through ignorance and alcohol, not arrogance, they also have a gruelling schedule to keep, not like us that have chosen this way of life which is supposed to be tranquil and relaxing, read the other blogs and see how often derogatory comments are made against hire crews. I didn't notice any comments from the hire crews that were held up whilst private owner stopped the traffic when falling in a lock !!

    bwp

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  3. I agree that it is not always hire boat crews that cause problems, however on the occasion I wrote about it was a deliberate action not one done through ignorance. As fro the comment about people falling in locks, touché.

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