Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

Wow! Such an exciting day! Both boats were ready to enter in the top lock at 1000 and with two BW guys doing the locks (with a little help from me) we were off. The top lock has extra long tubes over the paddle gear and a long windlass is required, so I couldn't do that one.











We were soon down the locks and heading for the bascule bridge. Unfortunately we were two low to need it opening. Fortunately because it doesn't work any more anyway. We were heading for the old clock tower in the centre before turning left to go through all the docks to get to the new canal bit.




To the left of the tower is the River Mersey, though the locks down to it from here are no longer in use.








Then it was under this futuristic bridge and into the first of the two new locks. The difference in water levels is only tiny. Apparently when the docks were taken over by BW they agreed a certain depth, but the other docks kept the old one (or something like that).

Then it was past the Liverpool waterfront and a second short tunnel with a kink and the last lock.

Coming out of the last lock we were told it was turn left, left and right. They forgot it was 3rd left to start off with and also forgot to tell the Harbour Master that we were coming. We were trying to get into a dry dock and then the barrier to Albert Dock was closed and we had to hang around outside, not knowing quite what to do.

We were eventually allowed through Albert Dock and into Salthouse Dock. The sun came out and everything was perfect. David could get the satellite to work so he had television and I could see the John Lewis store from the windows of the boat!




Jolly Nation make some lovely decoupage figures. This is the hiking lady. I stuck a piece of green wavy paper on the right hand part of the card and added the decoupage on top, putting a compass in the top left hand corner and a flask in the bottom right hand corner.