I thought I'd be struggling to find something to blog about after today's run from Macclesfield up to Marple. It's a pleasant enough stretch, but lock-free and, so it seemed, incident free as well.
Until, that is, we got to Bridge 6 near Hawk Green where I was hailed from the towpath by a young chap. Of course, as all boat steerers will know, the engine noise at the back of a narrowboat makes it difficult to hear what people on the towpath are saying - a fact not always appreciated as they can hear you easily. So I wasn't immediately aware of what he wanted, but I could see a moored boat beyond the bridge and though he might be off that and requiring some assistance.
On slowing down, however, I realised that what he was saying was - and i quote - "hey, mate can you spare me 10p!" Registering the look of incredulity on my face he added ". . .it's for the 'phone"
Not the the first time on the cut I was rendered speechless, but I eventually recovered enough to indicate that my response was unlikely to be in the affirmative. He took it in good heart, but warned me that "they guy at the next bridge will want a quid, and the one after that a tenner!"
There's never a dull day on the waterways.
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