Escaping!

Monday, 13 July 2009 17:39

We left Salthouse Dock at 11.30 prompt. We did not don our life jackets (it is "advisory"!) as we were happy to "take the risk"! There were 3 boats leaving this morning - we were paired up with Nb Kowka.

Le soleil brille - practising my school girl French again! There were a couple of boats moored in Canning Half Tide Dock, one a reminder of Cornwall!

HMS Penzance

Song Bird by The Pump House

Talking Cornwall - we had some friends on board yesterday evening, who hail from Cornwall! Mark and Sue are travelling around the coast of the UK. Mark is cycling and Sue supporting! We caught up with news of friends we have not seen since we moved away from St Mawgan in Pydar, near Newquay. It was great to see them.

As you can see we had some amazing skies! Mann Island Lock was first - as before, only a very small rise!

Mann Island Lock and Museum Basin

Museum Basin with the Mersey Ferry Terminal, Liver Building, Cunard Tunnel

Edward VII watches the ferries and narrowboats from his perch

This is the actual Pier Head

Prince's Lock seems to be almost floating in Prince's Dock

It is a good idea to keep well to port under this bridge (on the return journey)!

Prince's Dock Channel stretched ahead

This is the wiggle in the Central Channel Passage

Once the channel straightens out we could see Victoria Clock Tower

I still do not know what this is at the entrance to Stanley Dock!

So it was up the Stanley Locks, worked by the BW guys who are really good and very pleasant! They agreed that mooring at Litherland makes it not such an early morning tomorrow. We have to be at Netherton Swing Bridge at 8.30 am so they can open it for us.

Two of the BW guys (Rob and Dan)

We had left Frank back at the previous lock - he was locking through Nb Liverpool Lou, the third boat. Notice the strange looking windlass on the right - this is what is needed to open Stanley top lock and one of the reasons for the "Operatives"! They are contracted to BW for a limited time but would like to be full time!

If we had moored in Eldonian Basin as recommended in the Skipper's Guide we would have to leave about 6.20 am. As it is, leaving from Litherland means a 7.20am start, but we can have another hour in bed!

It was good to be moving again and as on our trip down, we had no problems with rubbish in the canal - remember it is a city canal so some rubbish is to be expected. When John went down the weed hatch (a good idea each time you stop on the Liverpool Link) there was only a bit of weed around the prop. We had collected a fair bit of weed at the bows too but that is soon cleared with the boat hook.

Litherland visitor moorings are secure as there is some building work right up to the moorings which is fenced off from the road. The BW sani-station is also fenced and the gate locked. The watermate key gives access to the shops, pub and fish and chip shop in Litherland.

I did two washes in the machine after Stanley Locks, knowing there was a water tap here. So we now have a full water tank and empty cassettes and can cruise for about a week without using services again!