It usually takes between two and a half and three hours from Marple to Bugsworth, but it was a bit longer today, though water levels were not as bad as we'd feared. The first part was very slow, shallower than last year and we were following a deeper draughted boat than ourselves.
Things improved by the second lift bridge and after New Mills conditions were not bad at all. This was good as the weather was visibly deteriorating. First it began to spit with rain, then the wind got up slowly but inexorably. We were being followed by Stewart Hooper in Annie for the last bit from Furness Vale to the junction; despite being a deep ex-GUCCC working boat, he was steadily catching us up, a combination of his steering skill and the superb swims of those old boats.
When we got to Bugsworth the lower basin was full, so we went on round towards the upper basin and finally managed to find a straight section where we could get in to the side.
I checked the stern gland again; there was a bit of water from the rear of the gland but the shaft was still too hot for my liking, so I've backed the nuts off a further two flats.
The wind is now very strong and the moorings have really filled up. We're tied quite square to the rings and have lost two fender hanging hooks. The fenders had dropped below the projecting coping stones, boats come charging past, the boat rocks and the hook over the cabin rail snaps.
The society which operates the basin is selling good wooden hooks at the moment. I shot over there just before they closed and got two at £4 each. Only thing is, they sell them in two sizes to accommodate different widths of rail. I was sure we'd need the narrower ones...
:(
Hopefully I'll be able to swap them in the morning.
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