Feeling apprehensive about the weather, we set off at 11.00am

We have now joined the Bridgewater Canal.

At Bridgewater Boatyard we removed our wet weather gear as it had become to hot.

The canal water became a yellow/orange colour due to the minerals in the surrounding area.

We passed through Worsley on the outskirts of Manchester, and the buildings looked amazing.

We then had to cross the Manchester Ship Canal. This is achieved by using the Barton Swing Aqueduct Bridge. A great feat of engineering. The aqueduct has hydraulic plates that will seal the aqueduct on either end, and another set of plates seal the canal ends. The aqueduct/bridge is then rotated to allow large vessels using the Manchester Ship Canal to pass.

We luckily escaped the rain, and are now moored outside the Trafford Centre.

If you have never heard of it. It is the second biggest shopping centre in the UK. We did visit it this afternoon, but after spending 2 hours, and not completing a lap of the lower floor, we gave up.

May be a late start tomorrow.