I had a good nights sleep as I got home an hour earlier than I expected and we were up at ready by 0900. At that time we were the only boat waiting, but as 0930 approached two more came along, one a single hander.
We got under way soon after 0930 and we went first so that we could operate the next bridge for the other two. Macy was not that pleased to be disturbed from where she was enjoying watching the world go by from under the solar panels.
Bank Holiday weekend was the Tall Ships race leg in Liverpool and we were hoping to get there to see at least part of the sail past as they left for the race, however the pace set was so slow that we were unlikely to see anything.
Amy spotted this turtle/terrapin enjoying the sun. It wasn't quite as large as the one we had seen on the Lancaster Canal. It is unlikely that these animals are breeding as they need a temperature of 25C for about 60 days to incubate the eggs.
We stopped for a bit of shopping and to dump the rubbish before heading down to Liverpool, but then I decided to fill up with water so we didn't have to just wait at the top of the Stanley Locks. When we arrived we were just right as the other two were just leaving the first lock.
We were a little concerned about these Canada Geese as two had wandered off in one direction and this group were marching off the other way. They were about two metres up on the dock side and they didn't seem eager to jump down in to the water, and the parent birds were nowhere to be seen. They were comical to watch though.
The Liver Buildings were built in 1911 and the two Liver Birds were erected one facing to the sea and one to the city, prosperity from the sea for the people of the city. It is said that they are not looking at each other so that they will not mate and then fly away so bringing bad luck to the city. That could also be why it is so heavily tied down!
We had missed the sail past of the tall ships but there were a great number of people around. These actor/musicians were entertaining the spectators outside the Museum of Liverpool and we had been warned that they were about.
The 'Daniel Adamson' was moored just by the drop gate into the Albert Dock. She was originally built in 1902 for the Shropshire Union Canal and Railway Co as the 'Ralph Brocklbank'. She was built to tow barges from Ellesmere Port to Liverpool and to carry passengers too. After 1915 it was just towing. She was bought by the Manchester Ship Canal for towing and in 1936 she was modified and the name changed to 'Daniel Adamson' after the first Chairman of the MSC Co. and used as a tug and an inspection launch.
At the entrance to Albert Dock there were these mice running away from......
this cat!
We got to our berth about 1530. There was a bit of confusion as one of the boats that came down with us moored on our pontoon. Somebody was on theirs. I was just going to slot in a spare but they moved over. I don't understand how you can accidentally get the wrong one! Still C&RT staff have been round to 'sort it out' before the next lot of boats come down today, Wednesday.
Once we were moored up we went for a walk to soak up the atmosphere in the beautiful late afternoon/evening, more of which in tomorrows blog I think.
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