Oswaldtwistle

Yesterday was a very uninteresting day. We left Botany Bay in very windy conditions, so much so that after about 10 minutes I was suggesting it might not be a good idea to tackle the locks. The wind makes it much more difficult to control the boat at low speeds and when you are trying to steer a 6ft 10 inch wide boat through a 7ft 6 inch gap (the lock gate) accuracy is fairly important. Ray decided it wasn't too bad so we started up Johnson's Hillock Locks, we made fairly rapid progess as a boat had just come down through the first two so they were with us, then we met another boat coming down at the third so not only were the locks with us but they had left a couple of the gates open for us so even less work.

At the top of the locks there were so many moored boats that we couldn't even get onto the moorings for the services so Ray passed me the rubbish while we were still in the lock and I had to get onto Morgana in the lock and leave the top gate open. As we continued on our way the rain started so we found a nice mooring spot and stopped. I'm glad we did because within half an hour of stopping there was a hail storm.

This morning we made an early start with the sun shining, being a Saturday there were a few more boats on the move but we appeared to be the first boat that was going up through Blackburn Locks. The gates are very leaky and Morgana's prow got a good soaking, so much so in one lock that my tub of pansies got flooded and most were washed overboard!! We stopped at the top of the locks for me to go to Asda for a bit of a stock up, mainly cat food and fresh stuff. I sometimes feel that the cats eat better than we do.

The only place to moor securely in Blackburn was occupied so my plans to go to the city centre for a couple of non grocery bits were cancelled. We carried on through Blackburn and moored on the outskirts of Oswaldtwistle. We will probably take a day off tomorrow as both the Spanish Grand Prix and the final day of the Premiership season are of interest so a lazy day is in order.

Yesterday's journey 2.3 miles and 7 locks


Today's journey 13.5 miles and 6 locks


So far this year we have travelled 348.5 miles, 210 locks, 5 swing bridges, 1 lift bridge and 9 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have travelled 1550.2 miles, 1296 locks, 61 swing bridges, 39 lift bridges and 49 tunnels