24th June

A good start to the day, weather good and warm when the sun was out.
As we set off we went strait through the first swing bridge, that Carolann had walked from the mooring to opperate. At the next swing bridge, some one was already operating it so we went through without stopping and the next was similar, but Carolann had walked from the previous bridge to do the the bridge swinging.
Arrived at Burscough but couldn't find a mooring as there was a large collection of boats for a rally or something, so we sailed on.
The next swing bridge was also being operated by the crew of a boat that was comming towards us through the bridge, after he had come through, Graham set off to pass through whilst the bridge was open, I followed on behind, doing a smart speed, so as not to hold up the closing of the bridge, I was just passing the point of no return, when the bridge started to close, with Jo shouting "STOP STOP STOP" the horn on the boat sounding and the boat engine in full astern, BANG we hit the bridge, with the bow of the boat. OK not much but it did shake every body up and a few things jumped about in the boat.
The woman on the control panel, for the bridge just hadn't looked to see if it was clear to close it.
We moved on one more swing bridge, that I operated, one lock and moored up before Crook, three locks and 2 miles from Wigan, Leeds 94 miles.
17 miles, 1 lock.