19th June 2013 - Aintree to Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

Last night we had joined four other boats waiting at bridge 9.  Along with the three waiting at bridge 8 that made eight including us.  It was a surprise therefore that at the appointed hour 9am, there were nine boats waiting to go through.  One chap had turned up not knowing anything about having to book in.  He was allowed to come with us as far as Litherland but could not continue until he had ze korrect paperverk!

The CRT man operated the first swing bridge for us and we all set off in convoy, with Meander and Ceilidh 3rd and 4th in the convoy.  A further bridge was operated by CRT, after which we all made our way through Litherland and Bootle into Liverpool to meet up again at the Stanley flight which take the canal down into the docks. We locked through with Meander, helped by CRT and a elderly passer-by whos grandfather was a boatman.  Thereafter we threaded our way through the central and southern docks, all now redundant but absolutely fascinating.

The CRT chaps met us again at Mann Island lock as for some reason we weren't allowed to operate it.  Once out of Mann Island we were into Canning Dock, then through the Albert Dock lined with historic boats from the National Maritime Museum, then into Salthouse Dock.  We peeled off left to find our mooring in the corner - wow what a great place! We quickly realised our error in only booking for 5 days and I was quickly on the phone to CRT to extend our stay.  This they managed to arrange, so we now leave on Monday 1st July.

Went a walk around central Liddypol and bought a few essential supplies

Ah, breaker one-nine, this here's the Rubber Duck..We got us a convoy!

Loads of redundant canal architecture on the way in

Sharing Stanley top lock with Meander

Out into Stanley Dock

Transit between Collingwood Dock and Salisbury Dock

Looking back at the Tobacco Warehouse

Princes Dock and Princes Dock footbridge

Tunnel beneath the Pierhead

Liver Building from the canal

Mann Island lock

Canning Dock

Entrance to Maritime Museum

Meander entering Albert Dock

Albert Dock

Moored up in Salthouse Dock