Encounters

We met one or two people at the locks today, including a German man who lived in West Berlin before the wall came down. He was admiring my windlass holster, but it was far more interesting to talk about the days when he and his wife were wondering if, within their lifetimes, they might have the opportunity of walking over the bridge into a different sector. That was 1987, and everything changed just two years later.

There was hardly any other traffic at all as we meandered towards Middlewich,

on yet another fine morning.

At the first place we had thought to moor up we couldn't get near the bank because of the "Shroppie shelf" – a concrete ledge just over a foot below the waterline. So we pushed on to the second spot we'd earmarked, overlooking Winford Flash. We were just finishing tying up when who should arrive but Adrian and Dawn in NB Chalico, our next-door neighbours at Great Haywood marina.

We all sat out in the sunshine, reading books, playing guitar (yours truly) or getting a haircut (one of them)! A chance for a natter. But, meanwhile, Adrian had his camera out because he'd spied a special visitor on the front of Erin Mae.

It had never struck me before that kingfisher colouring and Erin Mae's paintwork might complement each other. Nice one, Adrian!.