Shropshire Union Canal:Beeston

When we last looked, three boats were moored with us pointing downhill.  This morning there were only two.  We found the third two locks down, so must have left in the evening.   We left early as usual and had a good run down the flight passing only one boat.   Of note was the high bywash flow, such that the outflow in one case rather than blowing the bows out, sucked them onto the side making escape very tricky even with the bow thruster.   With Pat going ahead to prep the next lock it remained for me to close the bottom gates on leaving which in general was done by roping one shut from the boat and ascending the side stairs to close the other.   At Audlem a couple of pedestrians helped shut them for us.  2 hours for the flight.  Just after leaving the bottom lock, a boat which we thought was leaving moorings to start up the hill (so we left the gates open for it) turned out to be adrift across the canal.   A moored boater used a boat hook to push it away so the we could get by but it seemed  wrong to just leave it there, so looped a rope on its stern dolly as I went by and pulled it into the side further on.   Thinking that the owner had perhaps died, or left the boat to go elsewhere I was surprised when as the boat hit the side a body popped out with a lump hammer in hand and proceeded to whack a pin in.  Just a mumbled "thanks mate" was all I got.  Further on I had forgotten all about Hack Green Locks much to Pat's annoyance as she thought she had some time off.   There was an opposite boat which we passed between the locks, but our chasing boat had already turned the top lock round in front of them.  Hurleston Junction with the Llangollen was a mele of boats waiting for the lock which is really in an awkward situation just at the junction, so forming an orderly queue from boats coming in different directions and having to queue on the main line is difficult.  So crew were running about trying to find out what position in the queue random boaters thought they were in.   We reached Beeston at about 2:30.  The cafe on the road below the iron lock closed at 4 pm, but had run out of food after massive demand during the day, they told me.  So Pat made a fish pie.