New Volunteers. Things are looking up!

On Monday, I was working at the Heritage Boatyard in Stalybridge. Dave and Kim were there working on our new small trailer, built around remnants of a trailer donated on a recycling trip a couple of years ago.


Unfortunately our newest volunteer, Rosie, doesn't like being photographed, so I don't have a picture of her. She worked with me sorting out, cutting and stacking some wood that's been donated.

Yesterday I worked with Joan cleaning and tidying "Hazel" after our friends the film crew. They did clean up after themselves but, well, they're better film makers than cleaners.

Here's Joan at work in the kitchen.

I decided to clean the wheelchair lift as it had got very muddy. I ended up cleaning out all the coagulated gunge underneath it.


Today was planned as a well being trip to Hyde and back but unfortunately our guest was unwell so I turned it into a training trip for new crew members Ruth and Steve. My plans to teach them how to wind a pair in the big winding hole at Lumb Lane were messed up by picking up a tarpaulin on the blade at the crucial moment.

Ruth steered the motor on the outward trip and they swapped places for the return run.

Here's Steve steering "Forget me Not" through Guide Bridge. Ruth was steering the butty but she seems to have ducked as I was taking this photo.

With a bit of practice I think they'll both be really good boaters.

 More trainees always welcome. Email chris.leah@wcbs.org.uk

A Winter's Trip

We planned to take "Forget me Not" up the 7 locks to Stalybridge yesterday, but Storm Arwen put paid to that idea. This morning dawned clear and still and sunny. I met Aaron and Danny at Portland basin and we set off at about 10.15. The sky had already clouded over.

Someone had unhelpfully tied their boat abreast of the CRT boat, leaving only just enough deep water to get past.

After the Asda tunnel comes the Sea Cadet moorings, shortly before lock 1 of the Huddersfield (very) Narrow Canal.

Things went smoothly though the weather was getting grimmer and grimmer. The hills in the distance were already covered in snow.

Unusually the long pound between locks 3 and 4 was brimful and running over the weir. At Clarence St moorings I noticed that the battered fibreglass cruiser that had been sunk there for a year had gone. We found it on the towpath side further along, still looking disreputable but now afloat.

I had a brief conversation with its new owner as I walked ahead to set lock 4. He said he was coming down tomorrow to tidy up, and seemed to be under no illusions about the task that he had taken on.
As "Forget me Not" entered number 4 the snow began, light at first but getting steadily stronger. As we worked through 5 the sky darkened further and the surroundings started to take on a Christmas card look.



The previous day's storm had filled the canal with leaves and the boat struggled to make progress as its propeller tried to grip in the cold leafy stew. The engine strained at the extra work and threw out thick black smoke.


The final lock, number 7, is by the main Mottram Road. Above it the boat winded, then reversed the last 100 yards or so to the boatyard. Danny steered with the shaft.



A Trip on "Hazel"

At last we've got away from Ashton for a few days with "Forget me Not" and "Hazel". We're running the trip with the crew socially distanced from each other and from the guests. Me and Aaron are in for the whole trip, with a back cabin each. Other people come and go as they can to help us through the locks and lift bridges.


The water level was low and we struggled to get clear of Tameside. Dunkirk bridge and Captain Jack's moorings were particularly bad. I was very pleased to see that the long promised dredging has started though, even if we did have a hard time getting past the dredger. The mud is being unloaded at Warble boatyard.

It was a lovely afternoon as we swung the pair round the tight turns at Gee Cross,

Towards Woodley there were some very odd ducks. Are they Grebe? Any ornithologists reading this?

Today we worked up Marple locks. Liz, Peter and Kim came to help. Tomorrow we're on to Bugsworth. Darren is coming to help. More crew needed for the return trip.