Wednesday 23 August 2017

A conspiracy?

Our plan today was to make sufficient progress along the Bridgewater Canal to get us through Wigan tomorrow. As some stretches of the Bridgewater Canal can be quite boring M agreed to take a turn on the tiller in one hour shifts.

Towards the end of her first shift this obstruction necessitated a stop and then a squeeze past.


Once past, she could not get under  way again as there was no response from the throttle.  All we could do was drift until we managed to reach the bank where we bow-hauled Gecko into a safe mooring position.
Once again our itinerary went out of the window as we sought an engineer who could come out and fit a new cable.
In less time than I expected we had an offer from the engineer at Clyamore Navigation at Preston Brook. First on the scene, however, was Ken Wheeler who had us up and running again in less than an hour.  Our demeanor passed from desolation to elation in 60 minutes as we resumed our journey.
Events like this reinforce my preference for canals over rivers. Had this happened on the Thames the outcome might have been quite different.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Peter and Margaret. Pleased to see you got sorted out quick smart. There is always something to throw a spanner in the works and it always happens when you wish it would not. Enjoying keeping up with your cruising.
    Jo

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  2. Jo
    We arrived back at Scarisbrick Marina at the end of August and were then totally swamped with work organising a study weekend in Preston for Industrial History enthusiasts.
    We have decided to sell Gecko and to live ashore in Southport. If you contact me off line I will give you our address.
    Lots of work to do smartening her up for sale....

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