Todays Video Here:
Dammit the ice cream boat came past us before i’d realised it although 9am is maybe a little too early for ice cream (never!). Maybe we’ll catch up with it along the way.
Pulled off after waiting for a gap, this canal is much busier than the others so far! Straight into windy twists and turns. Of course I still get excited seeing all the animals.
The moon was still up and I got very distracted by the cows all having a drink in the canal and nearly turned the boat sideways!
Made it to the 1st of two locks today and had a really lovely chat with the boat that had been ahead of us. Pulled over for a top up on water just after. We don’t really need it but it was the last easy place to stop before the shallows we had been warned about. Some lovely cafe sat closed unfortunately due to covid.
We decided there was enough time in the day to push on through Chirk tunnel today but totally forgot the aqueduct before it! With a large viaduct next door it makes for an impressive sight. As it is one way and we could see a boat coming we pulled over and i walked ahead to see if there was a) a landing stage before the tunnel (which there was) and b) how many boats were coming (including checking in the tunnel). After 8 boats came by there was a little break so we went for it. I tried to get some pics of Māhina coming through the aqueduct before we had to hold to let a boat come out of the tunnel. It’s one of those places that it all feels a bit manic at the time and you wander how people don’t get it seriously wrong without supervision and end up head on with another boat on the aqueduct or in the tunnel but it all just seems to work.
It was easier for me to walk the tunnel. At 459 yards it isnt that long but still 10-15 minutes to get through it on the boat. I did try and walk without my phone torch in the middle but I didn’t last long as it really was pitch black and I kept walking into the wall. It was fun nonetheless and I met Richard & Māhina out the other end with a relaxing tree tunnel to calm us both down after navigating both the aqueduct and the tunnel. I tried to get some pictures of the boat in the tunnel and although you can’t see her, I was really happy with the strange arty effect my phone gave me with no effort on my part!
Passed another motor and butty combination which now make me chuckle as after a conversation with mum. I have joked that this could be my boat version of a granny annexe for them where I can tow them both around the country.
Finally got to a good place to moor. After about 7 hours boating I was ready to stop. You forget it’s like driving a car down little country lanes with all the twists and turns and concentration you need to steer etc so no wonder I felt pooped!
What a lovely view to end the day with of Froncysyllte Viaduct, this is very similar to the aqueduct I’ll be taking the boat over tomorrow:
That Niggling Thought 