We did another prompt start today, getting away just after seven and breakfasting on the move. It turned into a bit of a procession, with boats both in front and behind, but with all of them moving at about the same pace, it wasn't a problem.
It being my turn, I locked us down Adderley flight in fine style, with boats coming the other way at most locks. We chugged merrily on to Audlem, and worked down the top two locks, finding a mooring on the visitors stretch above number 3. This is where Chance was yesterday, but they've obviously moved on as well.
There was time to walk into the village before lunch; on the way we found Susie and Keith locking down in their pair of 35 footers, Etherow and Pilgrim. We've been running across these two from time to time almost as long as we've been living aboard. Susie asked where we were bound, and on hearing that we're taking four weeks to do the stretch from here to just short of Chester, then a quick donder up the Bridgewater and then finally heading to Poynton for the Open Day said "Still dashing about, I see."
They are even more slow moving than us, and really demonstrate that you don't need to boat for eight hours a day to get the most out of the waterways lifestyle.
Au contraire, as the man on board ship in the Bay of Biscay said when asked if he'd dined.
After getting a paper in the village, we went on down to the bottom lock, where we bought sausages, liver and a cabbage from the farmer's stall there, as recommended by Doug and James on Chance.
We just got back to the boat in time for lunch, having passed a lot of boats still slogging up and down the flight, now assisted by some of the new C&RT volunteers.
This afternoon has been a case of taking it easy, catching up with some email correspondence and reading the paper in the sun on the well deck.
Tomorrow, we'll head off for Coole Pilate, then Nantwich the day after.
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