Early start. Pat went ahead and prepped the first two locks while I did a stealth departure. Unfortunately the previous boater had left a top paddle open on the first lock and before Pat spotted it water levels in the next pound had dropped considerably. I was grounded in the lock. As the bywash was running there seemed no harm in letting some water down which we did just sufficient to get moving. We were on our own up the hill apart from one boat which set off behind us from Hassall Green and until Rode Heath when single locks, boats ahead and opposite direction traffic caused small delays. We reached the top by about 1 pm and to our good fortune just caught the back of the one boat ahead setting off into the tunnel, so no wait. Transit time was 25 minutes Pat said! Three boats waiting at the other end and plenty of mooring space at Westport Lake. Climbing "Heartbreak Hill" as has been called was made much easier by the tip I had received after I lost the boat on the Wolverhampton 21, that of just exiting the top of each lock at slow tickover, popping it into reverse tickover before jumping off to close the gate. The boat came back to me perfectly every time. Also, having resited the front fender button, allowing the boat to ride up the top gate as the lock fills worked perfectly.
Pat likes ducks, so I had to take this photo of a Canada Goose creche. The ducklings are all being shepherded along by the two adults and are kept orderly to a strict discipline. No messing about allowed.
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