Manchester

20 September - The joys of Manchester

Up at 3.30 for a pee and found the boat on a lean away from the quay, both lines tight and the water level a meter lower than when we went to bed. Vicki took a torch and looked at the downstream lock and found a gate paddle open which she closed.

Oh dear, arent we suppose to step onto towpath not climb up.

By 7.30 the level had not dropped any more but we were hard aground. At 7.30 she rang CRT who arrived an hour later and said oh dear and that they could fix the problem by 12 maybe.
There was another boat moored by us and they were stuck as well but sitting more level so we got to meet Steve and Sue on the dockside. Looking in the water Steve spotted a trolley a bike and several road cones that we pulled out and put by the bin, I was looking for HEB on the cones but they were all Fulton Hogan ( a nz joke).

By 11.15 Grumble was floating and after another prop clean we moved off at 11.45 and Steve and Sue went the other way.

While waiting for the water to fill the basin I walked up to make sure the marina was where it was suppose to be and on the way back meet a guy taking photos so he showed me some amazing graffiti

We moved up the Rochdale 2 locks and moored in a new marina - Cotton Field/New Islington  http://www.urbansplash.co.uk/documents/MarinaBrochure.pdf, with water and pump out, showers and washing machines all coin operated. we filled with water and did 2 loads of washing and while Vicki went for some retail relaxation I stayed on board and looked after things there.

Back on double locks, and this is the first time we have seen this mechanism for awhile, as you can't push lock because it is under a bridge you have to wind it open

Double lock we need to find another boat for this route

Our mooring for the night at Cotton Field

As I was doing that there was a knock on the door, Celia who with her sister Janet were looking for lock buddies for the climb over the Rochdale, this is what we were thinking so that was lucky. Vicki came back and we ate on board and watched the ABs 1st game of the world cup, then went to Janet and Celias boat to talk about lock sharing for the next few days or so

PS  Moving the half a mile improved the TV reception  100%

TOTAL - half a mile, 2 locks, 1 marine, 1 waterfill, 2 loads washing