It was gloves, beanie, four upper layers and two pairs of socks weather today. It was freezing!
John and Jen drew the first driving and navigating session of the day with Jen doing most of the driving under John’s watchful eye.
There were long straight stretches of Canal with mist lingering on the water surface and huge trees overhanging on both sides. This made it hard for the sun to break through, and it seemed to get even colder!
It was noticeably colder for the wildlife too, with not a duck in site. This made my role of official Duck Spotter a bit tricky!
I did spy this little fellow having a forage before he hightailed it up a tree.
Jen negotiated a sharp left turn beautifully at the Prees Branch Junction, gliding around the corner like a pro.
Grahame wove his magic with the lift bridges again.
Back at the Staircase Lock at Grindley Brook, we found the Canal and River Trust Volunteers ably in control, but sadly, not Fred today. How dare he have a day off!
Now, for some inexplicable reason, going UP the staircase lock needs the middle lock empty, but going DOWN, the middle lock needs to be half full!?
The stress of figuring out and understanding water levels in locks was slightly relieved by the fact there was still cake to be had at the canal side cafe! What a sweetener!
With some extra time up our sleeves, we lingered over lunch on the barge to discuss possibilities for the evening pub stop.
Consensus agreed upon, we set sail for the afternoon, with Grahame on the tiller and Jude doing what she does best. After all, there were no ducks to be spotted!
(That’s cold burn, not wind burn)!
John and Jen manned the locks.
It was a lovely, casual afternoon.
The temperature gauge had hardly moved all day. From a chilly 6° this morning, we’d reached the heady temp of 11° this afternoon. But absolutely no complaints…no wind, no rain!
The early evening sky looked very special.
And the pub grub at the Dusty Miller in the village of Wrenbury, wasn’t bad either!
And I did find those ducks eventually. Too cold for even them to be in the water!
Kanga And Wombats Adventures 