We`ve stopped at the Cool Pilate picnic area, a mooring south of Nantwich, after pumping out and picking up a Flogas canister at Overwater marina (Audlem). The journey from Audlem has taken less than an hour, so our domestic batteries are suffering again and our only option is to run the engine while moored up. This has got to be the least efficient way to charge the batteries but our only option at present - we`ll research power solutions this winter and hopefully come up with something before next season. A combination of solar and fossil fuel will probably be the answer, but it`s whether we use a generator or fit a power-pack to the engine that needs some delving into. Long term cruising, we`ve discovered, involves long term parking-up and the batteries don`t like it.
Our Flogas propane canister was delivered (we run one Flo and one Calor) thanks to a very helpful driver, who phoned on consecutive days to check on our location. Ordered by phone and delivered free of charge, we`re sticking with Flogas for the time being as it is supposed to work out cheaper than Calor. Overwater was very nice with helful staff and after pumping out we watered and then sat on a visitor mooring until the Flogas lorry arrived. The boat next to us was in brokerage, as the couple who owned her were moving back home to Canada - they`d been on her since 2005, selling Welsh cheese.
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| Watering up at Overwater Marina |
Cool Pilate is only accessible by foot - or by water - and there were a number of boats moored overnight. Spoke to Unlocked, a very nice Piper (for sale after 9 weeks, as chap who owns her can`t quite get used to the cruiser stern), and Thuis, a live aboard couple with a rescue Spaniel , Charlie, and his fellow boat dog, Dizzy (or was it Tizzy).
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| Cool Pilate - looking back along the Shropshire Union canal |
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| Cool Pilate residents |
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| Cool Pilate V-isitor |
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| Thuis and Dizzy the spaniel settling in to her cruising position. |
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