A wet day in Rodley

We finally got away from Clarence Dock yesterday, our stay prolonged by a very wet Saturday & windy ( wussies or what !) Sunday Just as well really as it's far too easy to pop out for coffee & cake, again. The Leeds Liverpool is currently short of water, restrictions include locks to be used 9am to 4.30 am only so we left at 8.45 to arrive at no 1 lock for 9am.

For those who have not had the pleasure this is the lock landing for no1 lock

I'd just started emptying when a lockie turned up, we were asked to wait above the lock to see if another boat would show up so we could go up in pairs, so we moored up & got the coffee on - then another lockie appeared & said if no other boats by 11am we would just have to go up singly - we were not in a hurry so no worries.

Just after 10 another boat, great! But they were only going through office lock before mooring up, still we got to share 1 lock, the BW guys then told us to carry on as no sign of any more boats so we plodded on alone through the next 7 locks.

I haven't wielded a windlass since last summer but soon got back in the swing but some of those ground paddles - phew ! There were lots of walkers & cyclists on the towpath enjoying the bank holiday sunshine & I got a hand now and again in exchange for a chat about life aboard.

The Newlay 3 had a lockie on hand so we were soon worked through just leaving a couple of swing bridges before Rodley. The 1st one is a doddle but 218, Moss Swing Bridge is an absolute pig! I remember struggling with it last year when a couple of walkers gave me a hand, luckily as I was just starting to sweat a chap turned up & helped, bless him.The design of these things,having to open them on the off side means Mark can't assist, stupid things .... rant over!

Both lots of Rodley visitor moorings were full so we carried on & moored up just past Owl swing bridge, which was almost a pleasure to open!

A wet day today so I've been catching up with bits of paperwork, still trying to sort my tax situation now I'm on a pension, if they (HMRC!) would only talk in plain English .... or is it just me!

I've tried to ring them several times today & got "sorry, busy try later" then cut off, not even allowed to hold. Argh.... another rant. I'm off to try again.....