Back to Ellesmere

We all travelled back to Trevor and filled our tanks with diesel while watching the boat traffic coming across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. When it was our turn both boats went one behind the other across the Dee valley. It was when we got to the other side that we parted company with our friends on No Problem. "Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow". But for us it will be next year. We have to get to Ellesmere where, sadly, it was confirmed that Tara is indeed suffering from an overactive thyroid. A bit of an emotional 'double whammy' for us.

Slow and shallow
The mooring spaces filled up during the afternoon. A small community of boaters showing their concern about our cat Tara. She now has to take two pills a day. Crushed up in a delicious jellied chicken which goes down well.
We left the next day following a hire boat which was in no hurry to get back to Whitchurch. So after an hour we stopped for lunch near Wixhall. The canal is very shallow on the bends and edges and every boat that passed put us on a sand bank! Much of the canal banks are badly eroded making the waterway look much wider than it is for clear navigation. It is surprising that the land owners are happy to loose 5 or 10 feet to the canal along its length. Despite the canal's popularity regular maintenance is not happening. There are still many boats on the move in October due to the warm dry days. The lock keepers at Krindly Brook will remain on duty all this month at least.