A hop down the staircase.

Yesterday was bright and dry as we headed through Chester following the city wall to reach the treble Northgate staircase locks.

Heading away from my mooring.

It was Jacks first cruise so obviously I was a little apprehensive, I decided to put his bed on the stern deck shielded from the wind and with the engine warmth rising through the deck board he should be ok, for safety I attached his lead to my bike padlock chain. After about 5 minutes he settled down to sleep through the rest of the cruise!

What's happening Captain?

We followed the city wall up to the locks.

I was a bit too busy to take pictures of the staircase until we had eventually descended to the bottom chamber, I say eventually because we had a bit of a problem getting to bottom gates of the top chamber open to allow our descent, whether it was because only one paddle was working or because of an error I might of made in adding water because the lower lock level looked to low I am not sure, but we got through safely after the issue was resolved.

Bottom chamber top gates shared as bottom gates for the middle chamber.

Preparing to exit.

they look big when you are down inside.

I did not want to go any further on Jacks first day and we moored again as soon as we had rounded the sharp right turn leading into Tower Wharf. It’s still handy for the shops and also now the retail parks are much closer, with some grassy areas as well it suits our needs nicely,

Current Mooring:

Totals this post: ½ mile : 1 treble staircase lock

Tower Wharf is a lovely open area with the Dee branch cutting back parallel to the main line through two locks before a sharp right turn, a lift bridge and another lock eventually allow you onto the tidal river Dee, Pearson’s guide book states “a waterway not accessible other than by pre-arrangement and certainly not one for relatively inexperienced boaters, let alone novices or the faint hearted”, that’s me out then J

Here’s some pictures: