Tuesday 7 May 2019 Day11: Dunham Massey to New Islington Marina

We left our mooring at 8.15

Had a lovely cruise

Canoeing anyone?

 Water plant about to burst into flower

 Just before 10.00am we pulled into Stretford Marine where we were looked after by a most obliging chap.While Tim and Mike availed themselves of the available shower and toilets and Lawrence made use of the same on board. I supervised the water fill, diesel top up and pump out. (last chance, or so we thought for a water fill for the next two days)
This is the pump out machine. The white grey tube gets screwed into an aperture on the gunnel of the boat, the machine is turned on the the contents of the toilet tank are sucked out and pumped down the yellow tube

To the underground holding take. Then the tank is flushed with some fresh water, which is them pumped out and the job is done.

 Coming into the outskirts of Manchester

We reached the bottom of the first lock about 11.15 to find the lock full, two boats waiting to enter and come down and the windlass wielding woman unable to open the top gate, due to the amount of water flowing over the top of the gates, besides which they were fucking heavy. It took the combined efforts of Mike, Time and the w.w. woman to open their gate, which then allowed me to open the other. Different lock mechanisms, chain winders on the bottom gates, and security locks made things confusing for us. With the water flooding over the top of the gates it took an age for the lock to drain and the two boats to exit. All the while the boaters were busy telling us how hard and awful the next two days were going to be; so instead of boyish enthusiasm it was with grim determination we tackled the first of the infamous Rochdale Nine. The warning we had received from the obliging chap at Stretford Marine didn't help either "hide all electronics, lock everything down even when on board, and watch out for needles" - charming.

Filling the first lock (no. 92)

Walking between locks

Someone lives in this truncated building, I could see into the living room

But this next remainder is derelict

Steps leading to a lock landing under a bridge

 The canal goes under this building

Horse scultpure

These two geese took no notice of me as I worked the lock

We made it to Picadilly basin where we had originally intended to moor, but we didn't like the feel of the place and the ww.woman said that they had moored in Islington Marina even tho it is currently closed to visiting moorers. So we took her advice and we struggled up two more locks and turned into New Islington at 3.00pm.  With workmen swarming all over the visitor moorings we are currently tied to the water point (a big no no in boating etiquette) and are just hoping no-one comes along wanting water or management to kick us off.

The boaters we met had not exsggerated. The Rochdale Nine are the toughest locks we have ever done. 11 locks and we are all buggered. No-one is looking forward to tomorrow and the next 16 locks to be got through in the day. :(

One of the boats waiting to come down the last lock was The Speedy Whippet, built by Aqua Narrowboats. When the w.w.woman realised we were on an Aqua boat she unbent considerably and became quite chatty and forthcoming with, admitedly, depressing information.

13 miles, 11 double locks, 7 hours.