So we went to Chester and back.  Another great canal. We had forgotten how nice it was.

We had stopped at the moorings across from The Shady Oak, so obviously had to go and sample the brew.  There was a Blokes only 50^th birthday hire boat,sort of sensible, however the same cannot be said of the next Bloke Only boat that passed.

All young chaps dressed in pirate gear, and Roger the Cabin Boy was sat on the top of the boat in a chair.  He had his beer goggles on, so we hoped that he had seen the bridge-hole approaching.  I tell you, only just. They swerved out of the way of an approaching boat and then he saw it.  Phew

When we passed both of these boats the following day…. They were quiet, and drinking a lot of…………………..water.

I accidently “washed n squashed” a spider. !  I think he was in our quilt cover, so he went for a wash and then a spin and when I flicked him into the canal, he left a mess on the cover. Doh. !

After due consideration, and as we could not stay down in the basin at Chester, we decided to move back up 3 locks, to a far nice mooring.It was cooler and cleaner.  There were a few numpties beering it up, so best to keep out of the way.  And it gave us a nice walk back to Chester the next day.

I had an altercation with 2 boats coming up to the locks.

Well it was like this. One boat in front of us manned by a young chap with his very elderly mum and dad on board.  He left the lock and closed the gate, so I started filling it.

Then as we left the lock, the boater waiting informed me that I had stolen his lock. I stated that I could not see through brick walls on the bridge, and that the boat in front had closed the gate, so assumed it was ours.  He said “ well I was here at the lock”. I replied “ well, where were your lock crew?”.  “ if you want the lock get someone up there to inform othewr boaters”. He kept on about us closing the gate, and all this is going on as we drift further and further away, to ends up in a shouting match. !!!!  If, as we suspect, he was coming up to the lock, and the gates were closing, he should have given us a warning toot on his hooter, and we would have happily opened the gates again.  Some people.

 Nice mooring by the cricket ground lock in Chester.

  mmmm, smelly dead fish.

 now can you tell what I am growing on top of Trundle ????