23^rd April

A lazy day, after the last few hectic weeks and chance to recharge our batteries, and catch up with some washing.

In the afternoon we all went to the cinema to see Fishing for Salmon in Yemen, which despite my misgivings turned out to be a good film.

Our evening was spent playing cards and enjoying the sights of Albert Dock, it must be the fashion up here for girls to go around with Rollers in their hair.

Fantastic Views of the Wheel at night and the Maritime Museum with Titanic projected on the wall.

* The Wheel at night from our boat

* Titanic

24^th April

In the morning we began by taking a guided tour around The Old Dock built in 1715 as the first wet dock and the reason that Liverpool became such a force in the shipping industry. It was excavated when they built the Liverpool One Shopping Centre and has been preserved below it. Only the NE corner is currently available to see but plans are afoot to open the remainder when the archaeologists have finished their preservation work. It is a remarkable piece of Liverpool history and well worth a visit.

* The Old Dock Position

* Dock Wall

* An escape Tunnel from the Castle found bricked up in the Dock wall

Afterwards we made our way to the St John’s Beacon Viewing Gallery, a 138m tower originally constructed as a ventilation shaft for the shopping complex below and now occupied by Radio City. There are fantastic views over Liverpool and because the weather was so good we could even see the snow on the Welsh Mountains and the Blackpool Tower.

* The Tower

* Looking out to Sea

* Our Mooring in Salthouse Dock

* Stanley Dock and Victoria Tower where we left the L & L Canal and entered the Docks area.

* The Anglican Cathederal

* The Catholic Cathederal - the Wigwam

In the afternoon we decided to take a city tour on one of the Yellow Dukws which included driving down the ramp into Salthouse Dock and taking a trip around this and the Albert Dock. Whenever a Dukw enters the dock the wave it creates races across the dock and tosses our narrowboats about.

* The DUKW

*  Entering the Water

* Sailing in the Dock

* Graham and Carolann enjoying the tour.

* Leaving the water

We enjoyed a lovely warm and sunny evening, the sun shining on the Police Headquarters across the road from the dock was a spectacular Red colour.

25th April

Dull start which soon deteriorated into rain and strong winds, so after filling with fuel from the refueling boat we spent the morning playing cards with G and CA and the afternoon keeping dry on board.

At about 2.15 pm six narrowboats arrived with the crews looking very bedraggled and cold on their wet journey in; all they wanted to do was get in the dry and warm up. Hope we have better weather when we leave!