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. 

Day 2 on the Llangollen Canal (July 16th)

 It was time for me to get Captaincy lessons! Mark had the unenviable task of giving the lessons.

Was it just me or did every time I take the helm, a blind turn, passing challenge or ultra-narrow bridge appear?! True story! Perhaps my bad for initially assuming canals were mostly straight and bridges over them, perpendicular.

Today yielded 1000+ pictures of sheep, cows, horses, ducks, geese and views from the canal. 

I mastered hand-cranked locks (with the kind help of some Texan kids!) and steered the boat back over the Chirk Aqueduct and through the 400m Chirk Tunnel. 

Tunnels are unlit if you don't count your little headlamp - which is mainly to alert oncoming traffic rather than illuminate anything! Tunnels, aqueducts and locks are single file. First come, first served with the exception being the person who wastes the least water goes first through the locks if traffic is waiting in both directions.  IE If the water is at your level, you go. Then you empty or fill it to traverse  and oncoming traffic then uses it at that level to go the other way.

We passed the Chirk Marina - now headed for Llangollen - upstreaming it. Then we parked (moored) somewhere peaceful and hiked uphill to Aqueduct Inn Freehouse, for dinner.

Dinner... An event at which you pet strange dogs (because they come to the bar too) and run into other narrowboaters that you may or may not recognize from a day on the water.  Teddy the fox-faced Pomeranian was the first to make friends but Bella the 9 year old rottie was not far behind. We liked their owners and the couple next to us. Her from England and him, Oregan. Getting married in just 2 weeks. Did you know Croatia has a visa to live there almost permanently if you can prove you work remote? The Nomad Visa.  That's how this couple stayed together 18 months during the pandemic when both the US and the UK conspired to keep them apart.

Final thought... It didn't rain at all today. A gorgeous morning gave way to fluffy clouds and overcast skies. The deluge of yesterday never revisited us. Lucky!