Down South to go North and Fly Boat Saturn passes by

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Down South to go North and Fly Boat Saturn passes by

Thursday, 09 April 2009 20:13

Ellesmere Port Waterways Museum to Knolls Bridge 131 - 2 hours 14 minutes, 6.35 miles, 0 locks

We left about Noon as we had been told that Fly Boat Saturn was being horse drawn from Chester Zoo Bridge (Caughall Bridge 134) to arrive at the Museum about 2pm. We figured we would meet them about 1pm. She was bringing something very important for the Easter Gathering at Ellesmere Port - beer!

As we vacated our mooring a couple of other visiting boats arrived through the bridges before the Museum. We wondered why the large bridge/tunnel that carries the M52 had been built to narrow dimensions thus preventing wide boats arriving or leaving via the Shroppie.

We saw the first of the convoy accompanying Saturn in the distance - BW historic boat Rudd. We did not realise there would be a convoy! We slowed down as there are five bridges in about one third of a mile, inclusive of 136, Picton Lane Bridge and Croughton Bridge 135. BW historic boat Atlas soon followed and we could see the rest of the convoy appearing

FMC 94 Plover

Horse drawn Fly Boat Saturn

Beer on board!

Horse pulling hard

The line of permanent moorings at Top Hill Farm, below Croughton Bridge 135 have a number of unlicensed boats and some with out of date ones. Amongst this motley selection of boats is this.

A duck igloo!

Does it need a licence too?

We were now back on the really pretty section. I can not get over how green everything is. The fields rolled away over the hills and the trees are really breaking out. Hawthorn's white blossom gives everything a really spring feel.

Just around the bend after Backford Bridge (133) we saw Mountbatten and Jellicoe approaching with Ivor on the motor and Mel on Butty Jellicoe. The motor and butty are beautifully cared for.

We soon moored up - opposite the golf course and before Knolls Bridge (131) on the designated 48 hour moorings. We were and still are in splendid isolation and will watch for more boats coming up, hopefully vacating Tower Wharf in Chester, before we move tomorrow.