Leaving The High Peak

We three, (Andy, Sally and Catkin) are ready to set off on our travels on NB The Puzzler. We have spent many happy days in the last four months on the Upper Peak forest canal. We have played cribbage every week with Grahame and Eileen on NB Gemini, as well as with them on NB The Puzzler, with Jack the springer usually flat on his back, under the table. Catkin and Jack co-exist without any friction at all. They do not really notice each other!

We have played Bridge weekly at New Mills Bridge Club. This is an extremely friendly club and Andy has been helping with the club. We have made many new friends there and are sorry to leave them.

Bugsworth Basin is our starting point this week. Our crew are joining us here for our first week down the canal to Northwich. Our first destination is Wincham Wharf, from where NB The Puzzler will be transported to Athlone, on the River Shannon in the Emerald Isle

Blacking The Puzzler's bottom

                                                                                                                                         

What a difference!

We scraped, pressure washed and scraped the hull to remove all the weed, aswell as any rust and loose blacking.

Catkin thought nothing of the plank access, but coped with it. The blacking is completed and we are ready to be refloated

Stuck in ice at Strines

Andy, Sally and Catkin have spent the winter on the Upper Peak Forest canal. We were stuck in four inches of ice at Strines from the end of November for six weeks, but it was lovely and warm inside the boat.