Ince Moss on the Leigh Branch

We have made it under the M6 and through Wigan onto the Leigh Branch which becomes the Bridgewater canal at Leigh.  Yesterday Simon had us up early and left for a meeting in Lytham, We will not see him until mid July when we go home for a break from canaling!  Bridie and I carried on struggling through wind and rain to Crooke where we moored overnight, in fact I think we got about as wet as we ever have in about ten minutes of absolute downpour although it actually rained most of the way from Parbold.   We didn't see another boat going in the same direction all day except for the local widebeam 'Rose of Parbold' which we followed slowly in the wind through Appley Bridge Lock.  Luckily they stopped for lunch so we were able to water up and proceed through Deans Lock on our own. (This is the lock you can see from the M6 heading north  just before J27 - though drivers keep your eyes on the road)!

Today has been better, still very windy but the sun has shone and we didn't get wet, feeling somewhat weather beaten and stiff after negotiating the six locks through Wigan today though.   A boat was coming down Henhurst lock as we approached and I had to wait trying to keep Prairie Oyster from grounding in the wind on a low pound.  I could see Bridie was talking to the crew as they operated the lock and then saw the boat as it came towards me was 'Endeavour'.  This was the boat we had a share in with Ownerships for about seven years in the 90's.   Having rejoined Bridie in the lock, she informed me that they were refitting her in Scarisbrick marina (so the Endeavour I saw the other day was our Endeavour)! Nice to see she is still going and how much of a co-incidence is that?  It being moored at Scarisbrick I mean (the sister marina to our Fettlers).  Will have to catch up with new owners, also ex Ownerships.

Having descended the two Poolstocks Locks and joined the Leigh branch we have moored in one of our favoured spots by Ince Moss which is a triangle of land, mostly flashes bounded by the West Coast Main line, Wigan - St Helens line and the Leigh branch canal. Plenty of sea birds, geese, ducks and swans here to watch as this view from our 'lounge' window shows.

This morning we hung around hoping another boat would come along to share the locks with.  Two did!   So we ended up with the locks against us, BW your advice to save water doesn't work, not for us!