So good to be on the move again!

Like many other boaters we took the opportunity of a bank holiday to escape the marina and go on a four day cruise as I had booked Tuesday off.

Despite the iffy weather it felt so good to be on the move again.  Nice as the marina is we much prefer to have water flowing under the base plates and let AmyJo have a good swim.

We're not going far this time, just into Chester as with Chris's birthday coming up I've booked VIP tickets for this year's theatre in the park to see Shakespeare's "A Comedy of Errors" as a birthday treat on Sunday.  Chris really wanted to go again and so I manage to get the last tickets of the last performance, now sold out.

We got under way in blustery conditions about 10:30am when the rain had stopped.  I reversed AmyJo out of the mooring with trepidation thinking the wind may play havoc with manoeuvring.  I need not have worried as without realising it I had reversed into the shelter of the club house and turned AmyJo into much calmer wind as a result.  I found providing I kept a reasonable speed in reverse AmyJo kept a good line and then turned easily when changing the throttle to ahead.  I was grateful all went well as being new kids on the block all eyes were watching us leave wit interest.  Funny how there seems to be no one around and as soon as you pull of the mooring the marina comes alive with people all of a sudden :-).

Leaving the mooring and Ominous Grey clouds we would be cruising into

We made the transition through the moorings at Golden Nook and the rain started.  It became heavy enough for Chris to go below and do some boat work (is that the correct phrase for housework on a boat?)

And this is only the start of it

Once passed the line of moorings we soon got back to normal cruising speed but the sky got darker and darker until a torrential down pour followed.  It lasted for some 20 minutes after which the sun came out and it remained dry for the rest of the day.

For a holiday weekend surprisingly few boats passed us and at the Old Trooper and Cheshire Cat  moorings only a handful of boats were present.

Hardly anyone about at Chistleton

We had a boat follow us from Tattenhall and they became grateful lock buddies with us going down Greenfield and Tarvin Locks.  I did not get the ladies name but hubby Mike and I chatted as you do in locks and he was a really pleasant chap.  

Mike and I put the world to rights in Greenfield Lock

We stopped after Tarvin lock not far from the Bridge Inn as we needed a shop and I wanted to be near Aldi tomorrow as their special buys tomorrow includes this handy inspection camera

This will be great for checking around the engine and bilges where one cannot see or get too normally.

Talking about the engine, I'm please to report the leak we found on Wednesday has now stopped and we seem to be winning on the coolant leak front at last.  Still early days to see if we are still loosing any but the signs look good at the moment.

After a lovely sunny afternoon we are now settled down for the night.  The bridge Inn has a live band on at the moment and they sound pretty good.  Might just have to pop in for the odd drink and see what they are like.....