Bartimaeus

After writing last night about a few days where we were repeating previous experiences I heard unusual splashing while I was doing the washing up.  I had a hunch about this being a familiar noise and rushed up on deck.  Sure enough, in the fading light I could see an otter near the opposite bank.  Clare joined me and we watched it head off up the canal.  Clare set off in pursuit while I went back to the washing up.  She reported a commotion with mother duck along the canal and we were concerned for the ducklings.  This morning there were still ten ducklings, so none of them had fallen prey.

The light wasn't suitable for photographs last night, but I did get an excellent picture this afternoon.

We set off this morning with various missions to complete.  Before we set off, we put on a load of washing.  We soon reached the top of the Hurleston Lock Flight to find that it was quite crowded at the top.  We took the opportunity to fill the water - with the machine already running, this was soon going to become urgent.

By the time we were filled, there was nobody else waiting for the flight and we were able to go straight in.  The four locks are only a few boat lengths apart, so it wasn't long before we'd caught up with the boat in front.  They were in turn being held up by novice boaters coming the other way.  Sharing locks like this is an efficient use of the water, and an opportunity to have a chat.

The locks in this flight were the first the novice crew had done.  They were grateful for advice and help, and very friendly.  At the bottom lock we crossed with another hire boat.  The couple on that were less chatty, but they seemed slightly more competent, or at least confident.

We need to get to Nantwich by the end of tomorrow, but at the Hurleston Junction we turned away on a side quest for a few miles along the nearby Middlewich Branch.

We were helped through the first of the two deep locks by friendly volunteer lock keepers.  Clare asked one of them if the washing - now drying in the front cockpit - was in danger of getting wet in the lock. She was assured it would be fine going down through the lock.

We worked the second lock ourselves and soon arrived at Aqueduct Marina (other marinas are available).  We moored up outside and went straight to the cafe - I was very ready for lunch!  With that important mission accomplished, we brought the boat in to the marina and moored on the service jetty.  The real reason we had come here was to fill the fuel tank with HVO - Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil.

HVO is a replacement for diesel fuel.  The suppliers claim that the carbon footprint of this fuel is 10-20% of diesel.  It also has other beneficial properties - unlike diesel, it has an indefinite shelf life and is not vulnerable to diesel bug.  It is slightly more expensive than conventional fuel, though I was pleased to find the premium was closer to 25% than the 100% I had heard in the past.  We are able to buy "red" fuel - it has a red tell-tale dye, and a lower tax rate - not to be used for road vehicles.  Red HVO is a relatively recent innovation.

Suitably filled up we headed back the way we'd come.  This time the washing was at more risk of getting wet, but by staying at the back of the locks we were able to keep everything dry.

We passed a mooring we had used earlier in the year.  A pleasant walk we had taken when moored there would now be constrained by damage to a bridge.  A vehicle has hit the brick wall of the bridge.  Although it is still in use for boats and vehicles, the towpath underneath has been closed - presumably the fear is that the brick wall could collapse on a passer-by.

We've noticed a few times recently that the banks of the canals are likely to be difficult for young water birds to climb - perhaps to escape from otters.  Adults can often fly, but the youngsters don't have that capacity.  On this next section of canal we saw a swan waddling down what appeared to be a purpose built ramp.  It had launched itself before I could get a picture.

A little further along we saw a group of ducklings at the side.  The adult was quacking as if to encourage them to climb up.  They seemed to be out of the water on a grassy platform, but were not having any success in getting higher.

We got as far as the Hurleston Junction again in the pleasant afternoon sunshine. We are only a short distance from Nantwich now, an easy cruise tomorrow morning.