And here we are at Wheelock

A better night's kip and an early start meant that we were on our way by 7.15 on another very pleasant day. Sheila drew the short straw as a result of our policy of alternating steering and locking since yesterday's six locks were followed by today's 14. Mind you, she had insisted it was my turn to steer through the tunnel, so what goes around comes around...

As it happened, she really was out of luck. Most of the locks were against us at first and although some good work has been done on replacing top gates, many the paddles are in a shocking state. Even with the long throw windlass she had trouble getting some of them moving and it's not as if she's inexperienced or out of practice.

What the poor first time hirers make of it is anybody's guess. Many of the paddle racks looked in good nick and most were greased, so the problems must be down at the other end, where the paddle itself runs through slides. Dropping the paddles tends to bend them but that can't be the whole story.

On we plodded, making good time despite all that. There were few boats coming the other way, of course, since not many would stop above Wheelock for the night.

Thurlwood, Pierpoint and Hassel Green came and went until finally we reached Malkin's Bank at the top of the Wheelock flight and started to meet boats coming up. They were mostly sensible and helpful though the very last one, a Black Prince full of novices, gave us a bit of trouble, closing the top gate of the bottom lock in front of us and then heading straight at us, seemingly believing that I could bend a 70 footer round them.

Even so, we got by without contact and only a bit of shouting and were soon looking for a mooring. We're close to the start of the visitor moorings, tied with rather long lines on the rings.

This afternoon, we took a walk into the village to buy some soda water, tonight being one of our alcohol free nights. On the way back, we had a chat with Peter Underwood (aka "the Floater") and his wife Heather. Those who read Peter's output will know that he's in the "CRT can do no right" wing of commentators, a bit like Steve Haywood in the Canal Boat magazine but without his relaxed and liberal attitude to life. (This is called irony, it's like goldy and bronzey but made of iron...)

All organisations, especially public bodies, need their critics, of course, but I believe in praise where it's due and in giving people the benefit of the doubt. Nonetheless, we parted amicably enough – it was a civilised exchange.

Tomorrow, on down to Middlewich for a couple of days and a rendezvous with Sheila's brother and sister-in-law.