Rising ducklings

new airbus

approaching Chester basin

The return journey never seems as exciting as the outward one but it has always proved interesting. As it was a sunny morning we cast off early. 

We didn’t meet any boats on the way back to Chester but the Captain was excited to spot the new mega-size airbus with its swollen fuselage. 

We stopped for water at Chester basin. While we were filling a boat came up the lock from the river Dee and slowly us. 

the now quiet pub

the dry dock

 

“Going up?” the muscular skipper asked, gesturing towards the staircase lock. When I nodded he said, “We’ll share the lock then if you’re nearly full, one of my mates has just gone to get it ready.”

The Captain soon stowed his hose and followed, keen for me to have ass
istance working the lock as his back had been hurting for several days and was now very painful. 

the staircase lock

He wasn’t the only injured member of the crew. Lottie had licked her leg overnight and removed the forming scabs making the wound twice the size so I put her muzzle on her to stop her interfering with it.

nature outside, urban inside the city wall

Turret in the city wall

first lock out of the city

It was the easiest lock work I had ever done as the other boat had three big men as crew and they did all the work. We both moored at the City road moorings, they were waiting for a female member of crew to arrive and we needed medical supplies. Having rubbed Ibruprofen gel on his back to ease the pain we turned our attention to Lottie. I taped a large wound dressing pad over the raw leg with micro pore tape as it peels off fur nicely and bandaged it up to prevent Lottie ripping the dressing off. 

duck family leaving the lock

Our lunch was enlivened by a narrowboat full of partying males. The skipper and one member of crew seemed sober but the others were celebrating wearing various naughty nautical outfits. It might have been a stag party but who was the guy wearing nothing but a captain’s hat and short jacket over a skimpy thong?

old steam mill

After lunch we cruised on straight into the next lock which we found we were sharing with a duck and her chicks. They stayed to one side sightly ahead of the boat. After the lock had filled the Captain told me to shoo them out in case he squashed one moving the boat. 
"Come on time to move," I called and waved my hands.  Two ladies walking by stopped and stared at me talking to the water before they spotted the cheeky chicks. Thankfully they left the lock speedily and then veered to the side of the canal out of the way. 

cricket while we rise

Fortunately we cleared three of the five locks before the afternoon became hot. At the fourth lock we were entertained by a local cricket match while the boat rose in the chamber.  For such a lovely day there weren’t many boats moving, just a couple heading for Chester. 

After the locks we had a lovely cruise round to our overnight mooring about six miles from Chester. Lottie spent the afternoon lazing in the sun and left her leg alone so hopefully it will heal quickly.

scented boots