2nd July

A bright and sunny start to the day.

Graham's turn to fetch the papers, he had a fair walk into Saltaire to the Co op and back.

We left our moorings at 8.45 am. three swing bridges all of varying degrees of difficulty, but succeeded to get them all open eventually.

Arrived at the Field Staircase locks, where we had a BW lock keeper to assist our passage down the three chambers, yet again we were flooded on the back deck.

Cruised on to two swing bridges and the Dobson Stair case locks, no lock keeper so the ladies managed on their own.

One swing bridge at the bottom.

As we moved off Jo said "is that Otis" and yes there on the right hand side moored up was our previous boat Otis and Martin & Pauline the owners, walking towards us. We stopped and had a chat about how they were enjoying their life living on board etc. We were so pleased to have met them on this trip, we knew they were on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and thought we might see Otis but to have met Martin and Pauline was a bonus.

We then moved on too another swing bridge, this proved to be pig to move but we managed in the end, then in a short distance another swing bridge, this was the daddy of them all, fortunately it was in a very popular place so we had lots of help to try and push it, but it still wouldn't move, in the end Jo brought Acen up to put a rope round the bridge and give it a tug, that moved it. There seemed to be a bit of a queue of boats waiting for the bridge to be opened, they all nipped through after us.

We were now looking for a mooring but finding it difficult to get in, we passed through another swing bridge and arrived at the top of the Newlay Locks, we asked the lock keeper if we could moor before the lock mooring, he said that would be fine.

There were crowds of people, walking & cycling on the towpath. At the nearby pub was a music & beer festival that was attracting them.

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