Tuesday 9th October

Well our last day on the cut for this year and the sun shone for us J  We left Nantwich and cruised the few miles to Hurleston Junction.  Richard pulled over at one stage and we had the very sad task of emptying our garden into a ditch – I hate that part of packing up especially as the fuschias were still looking nice but we will have no room in the car to take them home.  We turned into the Llangollen Canal and up our last four locks of the season - lovely narrow locks which were so easy to use.
It wasn’t long before we were moored up in our new marina, Swanley Bridge, for the winter.  I know the marina fairly well as Penny and Jim kept their boat here for a couple of years.  It seems to be very friendly and the boat next door but one has already said that they will keep an eye on Mary H during the winter.
So blog readers that’s us for this year.  Here are our statistics for 2012.  I’ve put them in a table alongside the last two years so you can compare our progress! 

 

	2012	2011	2010
Miles	773	789	950
Locks	369	672	674
Swing Bridges	91

 

I didn't count swing bridges before this year as they were few and far between!

 

	2012	2011	2010
Average miles per day	6.6	7.2	8.1
Average locks per day	3.2	6.2	5.7

 

It would appear that we are gradually slowing down a bit each year which is good.  Richard had been a hire boater for many years before we got together and bought Mary H and his attitude then was to get going early and do as many miles as possible in one day – we don’t need to do that anymore!
As an added extra we have been on 32 different waterways this year which include 8 rivers.

Oh yes and I have lost 2.5 stone!!  I'm really glad that I went public as it has helped.

We will be back, hopefully, in March 2013 to go up to Llangollen and start all over again!  In the meantime may I be the first to wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.