Wheelock

Woke to rain and a miserable looking grey sky and cold.  Not really August weather.  However the forecast was for dryer, so we set off at the usual time down the first of 25 locks.  The rain ceased as we started. I suppose because of the grim weather it was quite a while before there was any significant other boat movement although some were about.  We had very good luck with the locks, almost all full.  Indeed a hire boat passed us just before Lawton Locks having left all top gates open.   By now we were picking up opposite direction traffic which for the most part worked in our favour.   Pat opened one top gate to let me in and only when half way did we and a lock wheeler notice that both paddles were taped out of use.   Had to back out in shame to get to the other one of the pair.   Our computer plan, based on 6 hours a day, put us overnighting at Hassell Green, but were were there just after 11:00, so we carried on to Wheelock.   Now more than one day ahead .. or were we.   Pat, looking at the Nicholson’s, commented that the day after tomorrow looked like an enormously long cruise.  Checking I found that when transcribing the printout to the log book I had missed out a day, so reworking the night stops and taking account of our 3 hour bonus today, we are on track and should be expecting 5 hours 30 minutes a day to Handcocks Swing Bridge - thence Litherland overnight for a big Tesco shop and pumpout to prepare us for our stay in Liverpool Salthouse Dock.