Hi Folks
Well yesterday turned out to be the nicest day for weather since we left though it start with a bit of gloom. Both John and I were ready to we slipped our rope and moved off first slowly reversing onto the main canal I soon realised that something was wrong as Orion was not moving not an inch though the prop was cutting enough water to float the Titanic but it was obvious he was well and truly grounded, we new it was shallow when we went in but I can only assume with the boats passing at such a speed silt had been washed under Orion and built up. I manoeuvred behind, attached his stern rope to my bow and set off in full reverse it didn’t budge not a bloody inch after another three goes I gave that up I was just wasting fuel. There were another two boats moored up and all came to help however it needed a leader and some sort of organisation I soon had everyone organised into a rocking team there was only one way this baby was moving and that was getting air under her to release the vacuum that the silt had caused so it was “Right on my command one two three Push! One two three Push! One two three Push she was soon rocking port to starboard like a docker on a Saturday night john banged her in reverse and away she went. I would like to thank Boats Kimberley Jo and Marie Clare for their assistance, Though it was very strange out of the four boats moored Orion was the only one to get stuck just not her day????.
So we were soon cruising again we stopped of at Churk Marina for pump out and john for diesel after the morning escapade he was nearly empty another hour had us moored just east of the aqueduct for the day we then had a very pleasant walk over the Aqueduct and back in alla very pleasant day Thursday Orion and Buggerlugs parted company they have gone up to Llangollen and we picked up Silvia Alan and there cousin in Trevor took them over the Aqueduct cruised to Chirk turned around moored up had a lovely lunch and when back over the aqueduct All was going well up until the last 2000 yards
I was about quarter way across the bridge when I noticed to my horror that the trip boat was also crossing the bridge but in the other direction in other words right at me. Now those who know the Pontycytle will know how disconcerting that is you are 300 feet above the River Dee in a 200 year old cast iron bath tub just wide enough to take your boat and you have a huge passenger boat heading towards you. Was this going to be a stand off a welsh Gunfight at the OK Corral but no he backed off and reversed much to my relief. At last I was able to moor up and disembark my passengers.
We are now off back to Lyon quays hopefully in deep water Noreen will visit dad over the weekend and then we May go back to Ellsmere and get ready to go off down the Montgomery. As I said I am trying very hard to keep this trip incident free though by doing that it makes my blog rather boring I apologise for that. I could talk about the amount of boaters I am shouting at for being nothing more that morons I have never known so many rude, ignorant and imbecilic boaters in my life I believe that its worse here because they are concentrated in a small area. However it all helps to promote the great diverse tapestry of canal life ?????????????
Just a couple of thank you's first Churk Marina great place very freindly people
and NB Bramble we lost a fender in a lock about a two weeks ago they found it and kept it as they new they would pass us again How nice is that
God Bless
Big Al
Well yesterday turned out to be the nicest day for weather since we left though it start with a bit of gloom. Both John and I were ready to we slipped our rope and moved off first slowly reversing onto the main canal I soon realised that something was wrong as Orion was not moving not an inch though the prop was cutting enough water to float the Titanic but it was obvious he was well and truly grounded, we new it was shallow when we went in but I can only assume with the boats passing at such a speed silt had been washed under Orion and built up. I manoeuvred behind, attached his stern rope to my bow and set off in full reverse it didn’t budge not a bloody inch after another three goes I gave that up I was just wasting fuel. There were another two boats moored up and all came to help however it needed a leader and some sort of organisation I soon had everyone organised into a rocking team there was only one way this baby was moving and that was getting air under her to release the vacuum that the silt had caused so it was “Right on my command one two three Push! One two three Push! One two three Push she was soon rocking port to starboard like a docker on a Saturday night john banged her in reverse and away she went. I would like to thank Boats Kimberley Jo and Marie Clare for their assistance, Though it was very strange out of the four boats moored Orion was the only one to get stuck just not her day????.
So we were soon cruising again we stopped of at Churk Marina for pump out and john for diesel after the morning escapade he was nearly empty another hour had us moored just east of the aqueduct for the day we then had a very pleasant walk over the Aqueduct and back in alla very pleasant day Thursday Orion and Buggerlugs parted company they have gone up to Llangollen and we picked up Silvia Alan and there cousin in Trevor took them over the Aqueduct cruised to Chirk turned around moored up had a lovely lunch and when back over the aqueduct All was going well up until the last 2000 yards
I was about quarter way across the bridge when I noticed to my horror that the trip boat was also crossing the bridge but in the other direction in other words right at me. Now those who know the Pontycytle will know how disconcerting that is you are 300 feet above the River Dee in a 200 year old cast iron bath tub just wide enough to take your boat and you have a huge passenger boat heading towards you. Was this going to be a stand off a welsh Gunfight at the OK Corral but no he backed off and reversed much to my relief. At last I was able to moor up and disembark my passengers.
We are now off back to Lyon quays hopefully in deep water Noreen will visit dad over the weekend and then we May go back to Ellsmere and get ready to go off down the Montgomery. As I said I am trying very hard to keep this trip incident free though by doing that it makes my blog rather boring I apologise for that. I could talk about the amount of boaters I am shouting at for being nothing more that morons I have never known so many rude, ignorant and imbecilic boaters in my life I believe that its worse here because they are concentrated in a small area. However it all helps to promote the great diverse tapestry of canal life ?????????????
Just a couple of thank you's first Churk Marina great place very freindly people
and NB Bramble we lost a fender in a lock about a two weeks ago they found it and kept it as they new they would pass us again How nice is that
God Bless
Big Al
Crossing the AQEDUCT four times yeterday
Its A LONG WAY down its all held together by bolts and a lot of good luck???
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