Return to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

 Before breakfast and almost anything else, there was the small matter of turning the ship around - literally.

We found the Llangollen Marina was the place to be and in front of 15 other narrowboats and a duckling, of course, Mark performed beautifully.  Then came my much anticipated hair wash (the engine had warmed the water by then) and finally, breakfast in the village - complete with scone and jam.

I guess I thought (hoped) I'd be driving through "the narrows" on the way back while Mark walked it but in the end we found ourselves suddenly narrowing and with no idea if anyone was oncoming, I just needed to quickly head downstream and report back. Both of these things being more my wheelhouse than Marks and at this point him being the more experienced and confident captain, it just happened that I missed my chance... and I don't think Cap'n Mark was too sad about this. 

He is referring to himself at Pilot In Command or PIC and seems to believe his role now offers a greater breadth of authority than Captain of a narrowboat on the Llangollen Canal really should! And now that find my authority limited to the galley, I realize mistakes were made when I listed Mark as our captain on the booking form. Equality is an uphill battle that never seems to end. Ask any woman!

Anyway, I took us the rest of the way to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and then Mark took his turn driving over it today. It was busy and the sun was high. 

We moored and spent some time on foot for the afternoon. It was warm but mostly cloudy and humid. Hot when the sun peaked out though. Wales was really turning it on for us!

Tomorrow is my 50th birthday - it's already my birthday in NZ, in fact. I'm feeling super grateful that I'm not afraid to treat myself, celebrate myself, cherish myself. I'm "half way" and this one does feel special. I've made no secret of that.  As I circle the sun again this year I'm promising to work on not comparing myself to others and how they might or might not choose to celebrate me too. It simply doesn't serve me. 

Pontcystyllte Aqueduct and Llangollen

 The weather just keeps getting better!

Despite the forecast and locals exclaiming there only see the sun like this for 2 weeks a year, in April, today was so sunny that my camera was having fits about the high contrast shadows and it wasn't even a little bit breezy.

We started the day with a lift bridge - I did the lifting - and soon after, the main reason we came, the Pontcystyllte  Aqueduct. Of course I drove over! It was a 50 and Fabulous Bucket List item!!!

It was easy steering and mentally just not as challenging as tunnels or locks BUT the second one peers over the "non-railing" side, all bets are off. I believe our photos are the luckiest because we had archway shadows in the field below and gorgeous blue skies to lend a magical aura to the whole event.

Exiting the canal sets you up to immediately perform a 90 degree turn into a decidedly narrow tunnel. By narrow I mean 2" each side of the boat. 

The canal going to Llangollen was narrow, then narrower. They even called one section "the narrows". Twisty, single width, no passing areas. I was sent on ahead on foot to see if anyone was oncoming before we started. Everyone was advised to do this.  Yes! 2 boats and a blow-up kayak! Please WAIT!

We moored at Llangollen, slightly out of town. The mooring points all had potable water taps too. It was a short walk down into town, which is gorgeous. Picturesque, quaint, kitchy and all geared up to capitalize on summer tourists, offering opportunities such as horse-drawn boat rides, white water rafting and cake/fudge/ice cream on decks over the river.

Making the most of the sunshine and getting to the point of needing to be cooled, it seemed only right that we'd dip our feet in the Dee River and talk to the ducks for a while as we waited for our reservation time at The Corn Mill - which was fabulous, BTW!

Mark's friends Pete and Julie stopped by for a quick catchup and selfie, after dinner. How lovely!